Keeping Harry Sane
by Ice Lily
Summary: This goes with "Ron's Annoying Little Sister". Harry needs someone to talk to. *Chapter Seven is (finally) here (3/24/02)*
1. Of Waiting, Watching, Spies, and SID's

Weeks passed after Ginny's meeting with Harry out by the lake

A/N: Ok this goes with my other story _Ron's Annoying Little Sister _and I highly suggest you read that first, it isn't very long. But this could also stand alone and if you are too lazy to go read a short little story I'll summarize the first one. Ok, Ginny (who is in her 6th year) is walking down by the lake, thinking about Harry when she sees him. He doesn't look happy and she tells him that she won't laugh at whatever he tells her. Ok so in my little summary in sounds really stupid but I don't think it is. Sorry this author's not is so long. I hope you like my story!!

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Keeping Harry Sane

Of Waiting, Watching, Spies, and SID's

Part One

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Wishing and Hoping

Wishing and Hoping and Thinking and Praying,

Planning and dreaming his kisses will start,

That won't get you into his arms.

So if your thinking how great true love is,

All you go to do is hold him and kiss him,

And squeeze him and love him,

Just do it and after you do you will be his.

Weeks passed after Ginny's meeting with Harry out by the lake. He hadn't said anything to her about her offer. She wondered if he took her seriously. Maybe he had thought that she was joking and anyway why would he come to her? He had Ron and Hermione. But Ginny had noticed a definite change in Harry. He was more reserved. He wasn't saying much. Although this might not be how he was really acting as Ginny only saw him at meals, he was rarely in the common room. But on the rare occasion that he was in the common room he didn't talk to anyone. He would sit in a chair and stare at the fire. On many occasions Ginny had had to control herself so she wouldn't run up to him, wave a hand in front of his face, and yell 'is anyone home?' But that would probably just call unnecessary attention to herself. 

One night at about six o'clock while Ginny was sitting in an armchair trying to remember the ingredients in a complicated invisibility charm Harry came over. He sat on the arm of her chair and didn't look at her. She looked up at his face. It was like looking at a statue. He didn't say anything, just sat there. Ginny decided not to talk first. He would come out with what he want to say. Finally after several minutes he spoke.

"Remember the time at the lake?"

"Uh yeah" How could she forget?

"I need to talk to someone." Ginny nearly grinned, which would have spoiled everything. She promised she wouldn't laugh. Harry Potter wanted to talk to her! 

"Ok."

"Can you meet me here at eleven?"

"I'll be there." 

The hours crawled by. Ginny didn't see Harry after that. He had gotten off the chair arm and walked out of the common room. Finally at ten thirty he came back and walked up to his dormitory. Ginny decided to just stay in the common room and get some extra studying in. The common room slowly emptied until it was only her and Ron left.

"Well, Sis, it's nearly eleven. I think you should be getting got bed."

"I'm going in a little while. I just have to finish studying."

"Whatever, I'm going to bed. Big potions test tomorrow, I need sleep. 'Night."

"Goodnight." Ron walked up the staircase just as Harry came down. They didn't talk just nodded at one another. Ginny figured this was from being tired. Harry glanced around the room then walked over to the chair that Ginny was sitting in. It was the same chair she had been in five hours ago.

"You don't move much do you? Never mind, lets go somewhere that we can't be over heard." He walked towards the portrait hole and opened it. Ginny got out of the chair as quickly as she could. This was made difficult because she had been sitting in the same position for the last five hours. Her left foot had fallen asleep. 

"Don't you think that maybe we should be using the invisibility cloak?" Harry looked up sharply. Ginny wasn't supposed to know about the cloak. But she had spent hours upon hours of staring at Harry and knew a lot of things she probably wasn't supposed to know.

Harry didn't ask her about how she found out though. Just said, "No, we won't get into trouble." Ginny wondered for a moment why this was but she wasn't going to not go with Harry because they weren't invisible. She had been dreaming about the day that they would walk the castle together at night hand in hand. And although this wasn't a romantic stroll this was probably the best she would ever get. 

Nothing Harry did ever really surprised her. She thought that he was the most amazing human and could do anything, but tonight he did managed to startle her. As they were rounding the corner in a third floor hallway Professor McGonagall came around it. Ginny braced herself for a good telling off and a lot of points taken away from Gryffindor, after all they were out of bed at eleven o'clock, but it didn't come. Instead McGonagall smiled and said, "Hello Harry, Hello Miss Weasley," then walked away. So Harry was right they weren't going to get into trouble. The same thing happened with Professor Flitwick and even to Ginny's great surprise Professor Snape. Although he did it with a slight forced smile. 

As soon as Snape had disappeared around a corner Ginny whispered to Harry, "why aren't they getting mad at us? We aren't supposed to be out of bed now. It's so late."

"Don't worry about it," he whispered back. It felt so good to be so close to Harry, to feel his hot breath on her face as he whispered that she didn't press it. They kept walking. Finally after in seemed they must have walked around the entire school twice, and Ginny was sure that they had passed the same statue at least three times, Harry lead her into an empty classroom. 

At least that was what Ginny had thought it was at first. But when she entered it she realized she was incredibly wrong. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked around at Harry. He had this strange insane look on his face. She looked around the room. It seemed to have once been a bathroom, a boys bathroom at that. But now it had a love seat, a squishy armchair, and a desk. The desk had definitely been used. It had papers all over it and a weird box thingy that had a screen and this thing with letters on it in front of it. She continued to stare at this box. She had never seen anything like it. Harry must have noticed something because he said, "It's a thing muggles use. It's called a computer."

"Oh?"

"Uh yeah." Harry didn't seem in too much of a hurry to explain the reason for being in a room that had once been a bathroom and now was a study. So she asked.

"Um if you don't mind my asking why are we here?"

"I don't mind, this is uh my office."

"Your office?"

"Yes, but that's not the reason I took you here."

But Ginny was not easily distracted. "Harry you're still a student. Why on earth do you have an office?"

"I'm, oh this is difficult, well you know that Voldemort is getting stronger." Ginny flinched at the mention of the name, but Harry who was staring at his hands didn't notice. "I'm the head of SID or students intelligence division at Hogwarts. It's a small part of the resistance force; you know the unofficial resistance against Voldemort. In short, I'm a spy here at Hogwarts, I watch for you know suspicious stuff, but that's not why I wanted to talk to you. You can sit." He had already taken a seat on the love couch and even though Ginny wanted to sit next to him she didn't dare. She sat down in the armchair.

He suddenly looked very serious. "Ginny you promised you wouldn't laugh."

"I know, I won't."

"I think I'm going crazy." This was almost enough to make her break her word. Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, the hero, everyone's idle, thought that he was going crazy. What a strange thing to think, although Ginny didn't deny that the thought had crossed her head more than once. "I haven't told anyone. Not Ron, not Hermione, not Dumbledore. I believed you that you wouldn't laugh. I'm not sure how the others would react."

"Well you want my advice?" Ginny asked. He nodded. "Ok then, maybe you are, but it doesn't matter. Well I suppose it does slightly. Why do you think this?"

"Well, I uh have been working a lot and I can't concentrate on anything really. Like you saw me at the lake. I need help."

"Oh I get it you want me to help you. Well I don't know, I will try of course, but I don't know what to do." He looked extremely put down at this so Ginny quickly added, "but I'll try."

He gave her a smile that melted her heart. "Thanks"

***

The next morning at lunch Ginny watched Harry even more closely. She saw how he glanced at Hermione, who quickly looked away, she saw how he fiddled with his fork and didn't eat much. She watched him brush his hair out of his eyes. But the only thing that seemed odd was the fact that he kept itching his nose. He probably just had dry skin or something. She was actually enjoying playing doctor for Harry. It meant she had an excuse to stare at him. 

In transfiguration she found a note in her copy of _The Advanced Art of Transfiguration._

Ginny,

Meet me, same place same time.

-HP

Although she tried to pay attention the rest of transfiguration, McGonagall's lecture about Animargi (A/N: i don't think I spelled that right, but I am too lazy to go get my book.) couldn't keep her interested. She kept thinking back to last night, about what Harry had told her. About his job. It must be exciting, she kept thinking, better then my life. Finally the bell for transfiguration rang and Ginny practically ran to the Great Hall. She took a seat next to Ron who was looking thoroughly put out about something.

"Hey Ron, what's wrong?"

"It's Harry, I think that something is very wrong with him. Today during Charms, he just got up and walked out. Flitwick didn't even try to stop him! I'm mean something isn't right."

Ginny would rather have stuck a needle through her eye then tell Ron what Harry had told her in secret. She liked Harry confiding in her much too much to risk telling anyone. She decided on telling Ron that she hadn't noticed anything. He didn't seem surprised just went on staring at his untouched food. 

It was times like this that Ginny wished she had made some friends in her year. The only people she sort of considered friends were her family, Harry, and Hermione. Friends to sit with at lunch would have made her life nicer. Instead of sitting next to Ron who wasn't in the mood for talking, she could have sat with a sixth year who would gossip away. But there was no way to redo her first year at Hogwarts. 

Neither Harry nor Hermione turned up for lunch. Ginny had a feeling that Harry was probably doing something for his job and as Ron said Hermione was probably 'getting a ten month head start on studying for exams.' 

The rest of the day dragged by for Ginny. Of course the fact that she had history of Magic didn't help. Binns bored them all with a lecture on the first rise of Voldemort. This should have been interesting and Ginny was sure that any other teacher could have kept her attention, but when Binns talked about it, it was like listening to a description of paint drying. 

At eleven Ginny was alone in the common room. She wondered where Harry was. She felt extremely important to be the person that he wanted to meet with. She thought back to all those years when she had blushed when his name was said. How looking at him nearly made her faint. How reading his name could send shivers up and down her spine. No much of this had changed. The only difference was that she had learned to control herself. Most people had forgotten about Ginny Weasley, the little girl who was in love with the famous Harry Potter. But someone hadn't, and the someone meant more to her then the rest of the Magical community. Harry Potter still remembered her. She was still important to him. 

As she was thinking these thoughts Harry walked in. It was almost like seeing it is slow motion. The only light was from the fire. It was dancing over his face in a way that made him look inhuman. He turned his head side to side looking for her. She watched him spot her, she watched they way that his eyes lit up when he did. He started towards her, moving in and out of the shadows. He reached up to brush some hair out of his face; she loved it when he did that. He opened his mouth to talk, but Ginny couldn't hear what he was saying. She was lost in his eyes. 

"Ginny? Hello?" She snapped out of it, almost as quickly as she went in.

"Oh sorry, I'm just a little tired."

"I'd say so. I'd said your name at least ten times." Ginny felt that familiar tickle that meant her face was turning red. She tried to force it back to its normal color, although this didn't matter much because it was so dark.

Harry held out his hand to pull her up. Ginny gladly excepted. She could fell her whole arm get warm from the place he held her hand. She smiled at him and much to Ginny's surprise he didn't let go of her hand. He led her all the way back to his office with out letting go. Ginny was enjoying herself too much to even notice that Flich smiled at them. 

This time Harry took the arm chair which left Ginny the love seat. For a few minutes neither of them spoke. Then tentatively Ginny said, "I think the first thing you need to do is get over Hermione."

Harry looked up sharply from the spot on the floor he was staring at. He studied her face for a while and opened his mouth to speak, but must have thought better of it because he closed it again. 

Ginny smiled. "I thought that might snap you out of it." When he just stared at her with a lost kind of look, she decided to try again. "Look Harry, I really don't know how to help you. I'm not a psychiatrist. Maybe that's what you need. All I can do is be a friend. Do you think it would help if you got everything out in the open? I can't promise you much, but I can promise you one thing. I will NEVER laugh at you."

Harry seemed to be processing this information. He screwed up his nose and lips. "Ok, I'll tell you something, but you can't tell anyone." Ginny nodded. "You know that sixteen years ago I stopped Voldemort. Then in my first year I stopped him again. In second year I killed a sixteen year old form of him, in forth year I escaped from him, and in sixth I escaped again. But in all these meetings with him, except the first of course, he didn't have all his powers. He was weak. But he isn't now. The thing is now I feel as though when I walk through the halls people look at me thinking that I'm going to stop him for good. I don't know if I can. No one says it, but I can feel it. I can feel it every time Ron or Hermione looks at me. Or when a teacher calls on me in class. And everyone expects me to do it. But what if I can't? I'm only seventeen. You know there are only two people who when they look at me I don't feel as though they expect anything of me. You and Dumbledore." 

Ginny just stared at him. Of course she didn't expect him to do anything. She loved him just the way he was. Harry seemed to be waiting for some kind of response to his speech. His eyes were almost pleading her to understand. She said, "You're right."

"I am?"

"Well I certainly don't expect you to kill Voldemort. I'm not saying that someday you won't be capable of it, but I don't think you could right now."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Did it?"

"Well yes."

"Then it was."

"I don't get you Ginny." And with that he got up and sat on the love seat with her. His head was leaning on her shoulder 

She giggled and said, "so tell me about this job you have."

"Well basically there are three SID's at Hogwarts not including me. I'm sort of in charge of them. We spy on kids who act suspicious and then they write up what they see and give it to me." He gestured to the messy desk. "There are SID representatives all over the world at schools. Most are kids who lost friends or family to Voldemort. Some just want to help." Ginny was thinking hard about this, she wanted to help… "Of course students not involved aren't supposed to know about it, but like I said you are the only person other then Dumbledore that doesn't seem to expect anything."

"Harry I have a way to fix me knowing about it."

He looked at her like she was nuts. "What perform a memory charm or something? It doesn't matter, there's no law or anything. Just don't tell anyone."

"No, I can join."

Harry stared at her like she was mental. "Don't be an idiot."

"I'm not."

"Well I won't let you join. If Voldemort gets word who the students are, he won't like it."

"I don't care. Ok now I listened to you, you listen to me. My whole life I have been over shadowed by my family. Bill the head boy, Charlie quidditch captain, Percy the head boy, Fred and George the jokers, Ron is your best friend, then there's me. Little boring Ginny. Ginny who goes red every time Harry Potter comes near. I've never done anything special. I get good marks, but so does everyone, and I stink at quidditch. I have been thinking about this all day. I want to do something different then the rest of my family. So they can remember me. People will say 'Ginny Weasley the girl who was a spy.' So who do I talk to to sign up?"

"Me. And I am doing this against my better judgment, but if you really want to your in. Our next meeting is tomorrow at eleven. Be in the entrance hall then. I'll show you the way."

"But I have Herbology then."

"Just leave, Sprout will know. She won't say anything."

"Ok thanks Harry."

"No Ginny thank you. I needed to get that out."

***

"Miss Weasley please pay attention to what you are doing!" Professor Sprout's voice echoed throughout the whole greenhouse.

"Sorry Professor." Ginny was having a terrible time concentrating. She had just squirted bobotuber puss all over the floor. It was 10:45. She figured she should probably leave in five minutes in order to get up to the castle. Harry was waiting for her. Ginny felt her heart skip a beat. Harry! Sometimes it hit her at odd moments how much she loved him. Like now while mopping up puss. 

10:47. Three more minutes. She did not know whether to be excited or scared. It was dangerous. Did she know what she was getting herself into? 

10:49. Ginny finished cleaning up the spilt puss and pushed her books into her bag. Her watch changed to 10:50 just as she ran out of the greenhouse. Several of the students looked suspiciously. Sprout merely nodded.

Out on the grounds Ginny slowed down. The grass was wet, though she didn't remember it raining. Her shoes made a squishy noise every time they touched the ground. As she walked she thought about the decision she had made. She really had no idea what she had gotten herself into. She had never spied too much before. The only thing that she had going for her was she could make herself invisible. Not invisible as in not there, but it was more a state of mind. People just didn't notice her. By this time her shoes were soaked and she was at the doors to the castle. She checked her watch. 10:59. She was right on time. She pulled open the door and stepped inside. 

Harry was waiting for her by the stairs. He was absentmindedly running his fingers up and down the banister. When he saw her come in he smiled, making Ginny sway where she was standing.

"Come on," he said. He reached out his hand for hers. As soon as he had a grip on it he turned and ran up the stairs, two at a time, Ginny being dragged along behind.

"Harry couldn't you slow down?"

"Don't want to be late." The reached the top of the staircase but Harry didn't let go of Ginny's hand or slow down. He led her through a number of passageways she had never noticed before. Finally he stopped in front of a wall that looked very solid. He let go of her hand and turned around, he looked very serious.

"Ok, there might be some people in here that you might not like, or think are bad. But I assure you that they are all good people. They all know that you joined, I told them. So if you're ready, lets go." He turned back to the wall and put his hand on it. "This will work for you too." The will melted away to revel a room already full of wizards. They all turned around as Harry strode in.

"Ahh Harry finally. You must be Miss Weasley." Ginny couldn't believe her eyes. It was Sirius Black. She thought about screaming but then remember what Harry had said. _They are all good people…_ She didn't understand how the person who betrayed Harry's parents could be good, but then there were a lot of things she didn't understand. Taking her eyes away from Sirius she saw Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, professor snape and a witch and wizard she didn't know. As for students there was Herself; Harry; a seventh year Ravenclaw, Lisa Turpin; someone she didn't know and… She rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing right. He was still there, Draco Malfoy. 

Dumbledore turned and smiled at her. "Hello Ginny, we can always use new members. Now you may not know everyone here. If you all would introduce yourselves."

Everyone went around and told their names. The two adults that Ginny didn't know were Arabella Figg, and Mundunges Fletcher. She was right about Lisa Turpin, and the student she didn't know was Kevin Brandstone a fifth year Hufflepuff. When everyone was done Dumbledore started talking again. "Now that everyone knows everyone's name, we can get started. Harry?"

"Right Professor," said Harry taking charge, "Ok Draco anything on Nott?"

"He left his bed at precisely um," Draco paused and flipped threw his notes, "1:47am yesterday. He returned ten minutes later. That might have had something to do with the bathroom." Draco went on to relate every move that Nott made that was even slightly suspicious. Ginny gaped open mouthed at him at the end of his ten-minute speech. No one else seemed to think that this was the least bit odd. Harry was nodding, Arabella was muttering to herself and Sirius was scribbling down everything that Draco had said.

"Ok," said Harry taking Draco's notes from him, "Lisa what have you got?"

"As you know I was out this past week. I was tracking Goyle who abruptly left school last Monday. As it turns out, his mother was sick. It seems to be a false alarm, but I stayed the whole time just in case. At one point several deatheaters did come to his house, but young Goyle was with his mother those few times. I returned yesterday with Goyle. He is now back in the Slytherin common room." Ginny could not believe her ears. This girl had been at a death-eaters house, she was spying on them. Wasn't that what the ministry did? And here was a student doing it. Ginny didn't know if she was that brave.

The meeting went on like this. Everyone told what they had (or hadn't) learned. Even though teachers were present Harry seemed to be in charge. Ginny was totally amazed that this was going on and she hadn't known one drop about it. After all the students and Arabella had spoken, Dumbledore stood up to speak.

"Ok, now I am going to hand out new assignments. Ok Draco you will stay on Nott. Remus and Sirius I am going to relieve you two of watch duty, just hang tight"

And these words Sirius grinned and Remus muttered, "Thank god."

"Ginny I am going to partner you with Harry. Just so you get the idea of how things go. I'm sorry to do this, but you two will have watch duty." Harry groaned. "Arabella and Mundungus you two will be on Lucius Malfoy. Lisa stay on Goyle, Severus you know what to do, and Kevin you've got the week off. I think that it is it. Any questions? None? Ok then we will meet again next week." 

The truth was Ginny had tons and tons of questions, but she didn't know where to begin. As the adults all moved towards the fireplace (for floo powder) the students walked out the door.

"Harry I _have _to talk to you, like right now," Ginny hissed into his ear.

"Ok, in here." He pulled her into a classroom on their right.

***

A/N: So what do you think? I would love to know? You know there is a box at the bottom and you can tell me, then I'll love you forever! Oh and this is going to be a series, so don't review asking if there will be more. In the next part you will find out more about Ginny's new job and why certain people are helping, etc.


	2. Of Animagus, Patronus, Sleeping, and Fav...

Ginny took a seat on top of the teachers desk

A/N: I am soooo sorry this took so long! I have been really busy. This part has the beginning of some H/G romance. Not much though. There will be more. I just don't think that all of a sudden Harry is going to fall in love with Ginny. I think it will be a more gradual thing, so that's what I am trying to write. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!! I love you all!!!! Enjoy the story!!! Oh and someone brought to my attention that computers wouldn't work on Hogwarts, so please just forget about that part of the story. Sorry!!!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, none is mine, it all belongs to J.K Rowling.

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Keeping Harry Sane

Of Animagus, Patronus, Sleeping, and Favors

Part Two

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You Don't Know Me

I can hardly speak

My heart is beating so

And anyone can tell you think you know me well,

But you don't know me

You don't the one who dreams of you at might

And longs to kiss your lips

Longs to hold you tight

Oh I am just a friend, that's all I've ever been

Cause you don't know me.

You will never know

The one who loves you so

You don't know me

Ginny took a seat on top of the teacher's desk. Harry began pacing in front of her. Her head was buzzing with questions. She had learned more in that short meeting than any other class this year. She watched Harry and figured he wasn't about to explain anything, so she asked the first question that came into her mind. "What is—what is watch duty?"

Harry stopped pacing and smiled. "Oh that. It's awful really. The one draw back to being in the SID. There is this room at Hogwarts that no one knows of other than people in SID. It has this stuff in it. It is sort of like Muggle surveillance cameras, but it's magical. There is this big wall of things like TV's. You do know what a TV is right?"

"Aren't they the things that Muggles watch pictures on?"

"Yes. So this room has walls full of them, and when you are on watch duty you sit in the room and watch the screens for suspicious movement. It is really boring because nothing ever happens. You just sit for hours looking at deserted rooms. Dumbledore has placed several receivers--those are the things that pick up the pictures--in different places he thought that dark magic might be gong on. I've had watch duty many times before, and trust me it is very dull."

"Oh. When do we have to watch?"

"Every night, 9pm to 6am."

"What?!" Ginny's jaw dropped. "What about sleeping?"

"Oh that. Well since there are two of us we get to take naps. I remember once I was alone. I must have gotten two hours of sleep that whole two weeks."

"We have to do it for two weeks?"

"Yeah, it gets to be a little tiring."

"I would expect so." They fell into silence for a while. Finally Ginny got up the courage to ask about something that had been bothering her. "Harry?"

"Mmm?" He had started pacing, but stopped again.

"Um I was just kinda wondering. You said that everyone in there was a good person. Well uh Sirius Black was in there."

Harry's face split into a grin. Then he started laughing. "Your parents never told you?"

"Uh no."

"Well Sirius Black is innocent. I'm sure you have heard the stories about him betraying my parents and then killing Pettigrew and all those Muggles. Well it was sort of the opposite. My parents had changed their secret keeper without telling anyone. It was Pettigrew. He betrayed them and then framed Sirius, making it look like he had killed everyone."

Ginny was staring openmouthed at Harry. So this was something she hadn't managed to figure out during those long years of worshiping Harry. She knew about the Marauders map, the invisibility cloak, but she had never figured out about Black. "But…but… where did Pettigrew go?"

"He was an unregistered animagus. He turned into a rat. Sirius and my father were unregistered animagus too."

"Oh." More silence. "Um Harry? What animal…?"

"Was my father? He was a stag. Sirius was a black dog."

"So that's why…" she faltered. He didn't know that she knew about his patronus. "That's why your patronus was what it was."

He studied her face for a while. She felt as though those green eyes could see right through her. "Yes, how did you--."

"How did I know? Oh Harry I know a lot of things."

"Mm."

They fell into more silence. Ginny had questions. "Uh one more thing. Why was Draco there? Isn't his father a Deatheater?"

Harry took a seat next to her on the desk. "Yeah his father is. He disowned Draco. He didn't want to be a Deatheater, and his father disowned him. So he decided to put all the information he had learned over the years to use and he joined SID."

"Oh."

More silence. Not that Ginny minded. Sometimes it was better not to say things. Harry said, "we missed lunch."

"I don't care. I'm not hungry. I am still sort of in shock. I nearly screamed when I saw Sirius."

Harry laughed (Ginny loved the sound of his laugh, it was so full, so deep). "I guess I should have tipped you off on that."

"Yeah that would have been nice."

"I guess we should get back to class."

Ginny checked her watch. "Charms doesn't start for another 20 minutes. What do you have?"

"Potions, with the Slytherins. Fun, fun, fun. Maybe Snape is a spy, but that doesn't change how he feels about me."

"Haha, have a blast."

"Yeah, I had better go. I have to get my stuff from the common room, then get down to the dungeons."

"Bye Harry."

"Bye Ginny." He stood up then leaned over and kissed her cheek. Ginny might have been able to keep herself form blushing, but then he smiled, that lopsided grin of his that made her head spin. She turned beat red. "See you at nine."

"Yeah," she said very distracted. She was never going to wash her cheek again.

***

Harry, who had once again forgotten to let go of Ginny's hand, led her up a dozen different staircases and down a dozen different ones. 

"Harry, how on earth am I ever supposed to remember the way to all these different places? Your office, that room we were in earlier, and now this place."

"You'll get it eventually." Finally they stopped, this time in front of a suit of armor. "Lemon Drop," Harry said. "Dumbledore makes the passwords." The armor giggled and moved aside with loud scraps of metal to reveal a doorway.

Ginny let out a small squeak when she saw the inside. It was a circular room about thirty feet in diameter, with walls twenty feet high and every inch of the walls were covered in screens. There had to be hundreds. About three feet off the ground was a piece of wood that ran all the way around the circular room. Even below the wood (that was obviously supposed to be a desk) there were even more screens. Two swivel chairs were pushed against the desk.

"So this is where we spend the night?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so." He slid his bag on the floor under the desk and plopped down into one of the chairs. Ginny sighed and thought that there were probably worse things than spending the night with Harry. "Oh god, Snape's positively awful. Three whole roles of parchment about swelling solutions. I mean there isn't much you can say other than they make things swell."

"Yeah." Ginny took a seat next to Harry. She pulled out her charms homework, but couldn't concentrate. Harry's quill was scratching his parchment next to her. She smiled and looked at him. He looked up and smiled back. 

And so the evening passed. Ginny tried to do her homework, but kept getting distracted by Harry. By one in the morning she had finally managed to finish it all. Harry had finished at quarter to midnight. He was walking around the room inspecting the screens. They all showed empty rooms, or barren fields. 

"Ginny if you want you can take a nap. I'll wake you in three hours. Then I get to sleep."

"Um are you sure?"

"Yeah, go ahead." He waved his wand and a sleeping bag appeared on the floor. He sat down in one of the chairs. Ginny took off her shoes and got into the sleeping bag. It was incredibly warm. She had a suspicion that it was enchanted. Just as she was about to start thinking about Harry she fell asleep.

***

Harry watched Ginny sleep and sighed. She looked so content. He knew that if anything ever happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He did not think he had made the right decision in letting her join. He also knew that if anything happened to her Ron would never forgive him. But he did like her company. He could be so honest with her. Even more so than Ron and Hermione. They always flipped out over the smallest thing. Ginny always seemed to stay calm, which is what he loved about her. That is why he told her about everything. He sighed again and dug around in his bag for a magazine. The only on he could find was _The Adventures of Michael the Mad Muggle._ Opening it up he leaned back in his chair and began to read.

***

Ginny woke a few hours later. Harry hadn't had to wake her, as the floor was not the most comfortable floor ever. While stretching and rolling over she saw Harry. He hadn't noticed that she was awake. He was leaning back in his chair with his legs one the desk. In his hands was a magazine.

"Harry?" He jumped and fell backwards out of the chair. "Harry? Harry? Are you ok? Can you hear me?"

"I'm fine," he said while getting up and rubbing his backside. "Nothing hurt, 'cept my pride. And maybe my butt."

Ginny couldn't help it, she giggled. "Well I would offer to kiss it and make it better, but considering the place that you are hurt…"

"Yeah, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that."

"What time is it?"

He glanced down at his watch. "Three. I think I'll take a short nap. Wake me at five thirty." He pulled Ginny out of the sleeping bag and got in himself. 

Almost instantly he was asleep. Ginny watched him for a while. His chest rose and fell evenly. With his glasses off and his eyes closed he looked like an angel straight from Heaven. Not that he didn't usually look handsome. Most of the population of girls swooned when he smiled. He looked so peaceful. Ginny had a sudden urge to go and kiss him, but, of course, she didn't.

***

"Gin, come on eat something. You'll starve." Ron attempted to push some food down Ginny's throat. Ginny just groaned and pushed the food away. She had been on watch duty for a week and it was really starting to get to her. She had dark circle under her eyes and had fallen asleep in three classes all ready. Harry on the other hand looked normal. He wasn't talking to anyone this morning, but that was normal. "Ginny, what is with you? You haven't eaten since like six days ago."

"I'm fine."

At this Harry looked up. His eyes were filled with concern, unlike Ron's who's just looked annoyed. "Come with me," Harry said to Ginny. Ginny got up and followed him out of the great hall. He led her to the base of the marble staircase. "Look Ginny, I want you to go up to the Gryffindor common room and then up to your dormitory. Once there you are going to go to sleep and not wake up until I come up to get you. Understand?"

"But classes…"

"No buts, right now young lady!"

A grin crept onto Ginny's tired face. "Yes Sir! Harry Sir!" She saluted him.

"Just go," Harry said smiling, giving her a little push. He watched her slowly walk up the stairs. He sighed loudly then stopped himself. He realized that he sounded exactly like Hermione used to when he and Ron would break rules. Used to… But not anymore, he realized. He hadn't been breaking many rules with Ron lately. Oh well, I guess we stopped as we got older, he thought. 

He turned around and walked back to the Gryffindor table to finish his breakfast. Upon arrival there he found Ron and Hermione in the middle of an argument. 

"I'm telling the truth," yelled Hermione her face red.

"If you are telling the truth why are you getting so worked up?"

"Because it bugs me when you accuse me of things I don't like."

"Well if you don't like--." He noticed Harry suddenly and shut up. Harry was so used to the two of them fighting that he did not pay any attention to it. He sat down and started to cut up his pancakes. He did not notice that both Ron and Hermione were staring at him.

"So…?" began Ron.

Harry looked up, "So what?"

"Where is Ginny?"

"Oh, I sent her up to bed. She looked awful."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "You sent her to bed?"

Harry nodded. "She didn't look good."

"Yes I do have eyes too." Harry gave him a funny look, but continued to cut his pancakes. Ron continued in a voice that was definitely not his own, "since when have you been the ruler of the school? With the authority to tell other people where to go and what to do?" His voice was getting steadily louder. Harry couldn't figure out why he was getting so worked up about nothing. "Ginny has classes today. She shouldn't miss them."

"She didn't look good."

"You already told me that!" Ron yelled this so loud the Gryffindor table went silent. He waited a moment for everyone to go back to his or her conversations then continued, this time in a deadly whisper, "Just because you are the Famous Harry Potter doesn't mean you have the right to do what ever you want."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. Had Ron just said what he thought he said? By the look on Hermione's face he had. "Shut up, you don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh don't I?" He was still using the whisper. "I don't know about my sister? I have known her for a lot longer than you have."

"Trust me Ron, you don't know what you are talking about."

"Well then maybe you could enlighten me." His voice was getting steadily louder, but still had the deadly tone.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. He shook his head. "Forget it."

"I don't want to forget it!"

"Ron," Hermione broke in, "drop it." It was obvious that Ron didn't want to drop it, but when Hermione uses that tone, you don't argue with her.

***

Ginny walked slowly up the stairs to her dormitory. She was so tired. She had gotten about five hours sleep total in the past week. This just didn't work when you had classes to pay attention in, tests to study for, and tests to take. She walked into her room and didn't even bother to change, just laid down on her bed. The last thought in her head was if Harry would bother to tell her teachers where she was.

***

"Ginny? Ginny, come on, you have to get up." Ginny shook her head and tried to go back to sleep. "Gin, get up!" She recognized the voice, it was Harry. She sat up very suddenly and hit something hard. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw Harry sitting on her bed rubbing his forehead. Apparently he had been leaning over her.

"Oops." Without thinking she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "All better." Then it seemed to hit her that she had kissed Harry Potter. Her face turned very red. Harry, much to Ginny's relief, didn't notice.

"Hey sleepy head, it's five-thirty."

"FIVE-THIRTY??? I slept all day?"

"Yeah, I told your teachers where you were. Come on get up. I'll meet you in the common room in twenty-five minutes." He got up and walked out of her room.

Ginny got out of bed and pulled on new robes, her other ones were all crinkled from being slept in. Quickly she washed her face in cold water, which really woke her up. She walked down to the common room and plopped down in the chair she had used before to wait for Harry. The common room was deserted except for a few fourth years playing chess. 

Why did Harry want to meet her here at six? They didn't have to go to watch duty until nine. I hope they haven't decided to make it longer, she thought. She wasn't sure if she could survive watch duty for twelve hours. Finally Harry arrived, he was ten minutes late, which Ginny of course pointed out.

"Sorry, got tied up."

"Oh?"

"Literally, Malfoy put a hex on me. Of course I cursed him back."

"Of course you did."

"Don't make fun of me."

"Me?" she asked innocently pointing to her chest. "I would never do a thing like that."

"Right. Now on to business." He glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening. The only other people in the common room now were first years who were giggling in a corner, the fourth years had gone to dinner. "Dinner at six, well six ten, meeting at six thirty, duty at nine. Got it?"

"Meeting?"

"Yeah you know, I told you didn't I?"

"Uh no."

"Oh well sorry. Resistance meeting." Her face still looked confused. "You know the one we attended last week."

"Ohhhh yes. I was wondering why you wanted me down here at six. For a while I thought they might have made watch duty an extra three hours."

"God forbid."

***

At dinner Ron wasn't talking to Harry. Ginny didn't notice because no one really talked all that much anymore. Every now and then Hermione would take stabs at conversation, but nothing really worked. The most that was said today was Ron commenting on how Ginny was eating again. After a good day's rest she realized how hungry she was and had eaten all of her dinner and most of Harry's. So at six thirty she was well fed and a lot more cheerful than she had been in a while. 

On their way to the 'Briefing Room' as Harry called it, Ginny tried to remember the way. Up one flight of stairs, left two hundred yards, down the left staircase, through the tapestry, pet the cat painting, through the painting, left, second right, but it was just too difficult. She gave up less than halfway there. 

Once they got to the very solid looking wall Harry did not put his hand on it, instead he told Ginny to. Reluctantly, thinking that there was no way this would work she reached out and touched the cold stone. At once she felt a burning sensation and the wall started melting away beneath her fingers.

Inside, most of the group was there. Remus, Dumbledore, Snape, and Arabella were watching the fire, waiting for Sirius and Mundungus. Kevin was standing by himself in a corner fiddling with his fingers. Harry and Ginny walked over to join him.

"Hey Kevin!" said Harry.

"Hi Harry, hi Ginny. You guys have fun with watch duty?"

"Oh yes it was great. Only one more week."

"I hope I don't get it next."

Harry didn't have to answer because Mundungus and Draco had just arrived and Dumbledore was trying to bring the meeting to order.

"Ok now. Sirius will not be joining us, anyone else missing? Ah Lisa. Now she should be here. I don't know… well we will just start without her."

Lisa didn't show up the rest of the meeting. No one had anything very exciting to report. Draco had had a fairly funny encounter with Nott in the middle of the night. Apparently Draco had been following him in the middle of the night. He had watched Nott walk into an empty classroom then put a locking charm on it. Naturally Draco had suspected something so he had burst into the room only to find Nott and a sixth year Hufflepuff in the middle of a make-out session. He had quickly apologized and left, but Nott had been sending him dirty looks the rest of the week. 

Dumbledore found this very amusing and while laughing told Draco that he would put someone else on Nott. Draco nodded thankfully. Arabella and Mundungus, who had been tracking Lucius Malfoy, didn't have anything to report, other than the normal 'went out at 10:30, came back at 11.' Harry and Ginny of course didn't have anything interesting to say. 

"Ok, this seems to have been a very unproductive week. New assignments. Harry and Ginny, watch duty." Dumbledore gave them an apologetic smile. "Kevin you will be on Nott, after Draco's uh incident." Draco glared at Dumbledore. "Everyone else. Same thing. Um please if anyone sees Lisa reminded her to stay on Goyle. She probably just forgot about the meeting. Ok dismissed. Harry, Ginny can I talk to you for a second?"

Ginny and Harry hung back in a corner as all the students walked to the door and all the adults moved towards the fireplace. Once everyone was gone he spoke. "You two still have thirty minutes before duty so I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

***

A/N: What's Dumbledore's favor?? Read the next part (which I hope will be out soon) to find out!! What do you think so far? I promise the next part will have more H/G. If you haven't noticed this chapter is much more light-hearted than the last. At least that's what I tried to do.


	3. Of Missing Persons, Almost Kisses, and B...

"God

A/N: THE RED SOX WON YESTERDAY!!! YIPPEE!! And when the Red Sox win, good things happen, like I get the next part out. Well I think it is good, I don't know about you. Sorry it took me so long. If the word 'forever' appears to much for your liking its not my fault, I wrote this part while listening to the song "Forever and Ever' from the Tigger Movie, over and over. It's actually a good songJ There is a little more H/G in this one. Oh well anyway, enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: Everything is J.K. Rowlings, not mineL 

****

Keeping Harry Sane

Of Missing Persons, Almost Kisses, and Bad Memories 

Part Three

__

Call Me

If one day u feel like crying,

Call me.

I don't promise you I will make you laugh,

But I can cry with you.

If one day you want to run away,

Don't be afraid to call me.

I don't promise to ask you to stop,

But I can run with you.

If one day you don't want to listen to

Anybody;

Call me and

I promise to be very quiet.

But...

If one day you call me and there is no answer...

Come fast to see me...

Perhaps I need you.

"God. What has Dumbledore got against us? Watch duty now this?" Harry said while trying to balance his basket on his head.

"I really wasn't expecting this. When he said a favor I thought something exciting. I really never thought of brining dirty laundry down to the house elves." Ginny placed her basket on her head and slowly brought her fingers away. The basket leaned dangerously to one side so she quickly put her hands back. 

"I know, why doesn't he magic them down or something." Harry was striding along with out even noticing the basket on his head.

"I don't know." Ginny stopped walking and tried to get the basket to balance again. How was Harry doing this? Very slowly she brought her hands away. It stayed. Slowly she took a step. CRASH! The basket fell to the floor. "Oops."

Harry stopped a few feet ahead of her, and spun around. His basket didn't fall off his head. Shaking his head slowly with a wide grin on his face he said, "balancing charm, Hun."

"Oh." Harry pulled out his wand and waved it at the fallen cloths. They leapt back into the basket, which was lying a few feet away. The basket flew to the top of her head. "Thanks."

"Du rein," he said starting to walk again

"What?" Ginny ran a few paces to catch up with him. She was pleased to see that the basket didn't fall off her head.

"It means you're welcome."

"Oh. Where are we going?"

"Kitchens."

They walked the most of the way in silence. When they were about the reach up and tickle the pear they heard the unmistakable tap tap of shoes.

"Hold my hand," Harry whispered to Ginny. She didn't need to be told twice. Harry closed his eyes and began muttering words Ginny couldn't pick up. The footsteps were getting closer and voices could be heard.

"Yes we have her." Then someone said something Ginny couldn't hear. "Don't worry she won't see the light of day for a long, long time."

The voice definitely didn't sound friendly. Doing the only thing that came to mind, she prayed. _God, uhhh…please help Harry do whatever he is doing. And please let it save us from whatever we need saving from. _It sounded so pathetic she almost laughed. Harry opened his eyes. "It's ok," he muttered right into her ear. Ginny smiled, his breath had felt very warm against her ear. He squeezed her hand a little tighter, making shivers go up and down her spine. 

Two people rounded the corner. One was Draco Malfoy and the other was Goyle. Draco had his familiar smirk on his face, but his eyes showed something else. Ginny looked hard. Something like triumph. Goyle didn't seem to notice and went on talking. Goyle was the person that Ginny had heard before.

"She was nosing where her big nose didn't belong." Ginny held her breath waiting for them to notice Harry and her. They didn't. Goyle kept on spilling secrets to Draco and Draco kept smirking. Harry squeezed her hand still tighter. She realized that he must have put an invisibility charm on them. But that still made them solid and they were standing in the middle of the hallway.

"Harry!" Ginny whispered as quietly as she could and still sounding urgent. He shock his head. Ginny wanted to protest, but Draco and Goyle were getting dangerously close and she didn't want to risk them hearing her. She took a step closer to Harry. They were getting closer. Any moment they would walk right into them. Three feet, two feet…_Why hadn't we gone into the kitchen right away?… _One foot and…Ginny waited for the bump. It didn't come. Instead Ginny felt a strange cold feeling, and they were gone. She spun around and saw them walking away down the hall. She also saw Draco turn around and wink. 

Dumbfounded she turned to Harry. "What the…? Why didn't they…? How come…?" Harry smiled and placed a finger on her lips. 

"Don't worry about it."

Ginny just nodded stupidly, it was all she could do with Harry's eyes looking into her own in that way. And they turned, still holding hands, and went into the kitchen, with the laundry on their heads.

***

"You try." Ginny gave Harry a look showing her confusion. "Say 'Lemon Drop' to the armor," he explained.

They were standing outside the suit of armor that led into the watch duty room. In the whole week they had been on duty Harry had always given the password. Comprehension dawning she said, "oh I see." She turned to the armor. "Lemon Drop." 

The armor immediately sprang to life and walked aside. The scene inside had become so familiar to Ginny she didn't even glance at all the screens that at one time she hadn't been able to keep her eyes off. Walking straight to one of the chairs she announced, "I brought Exploding Snap tonight."

"Good. I was getting sick of chess. Get it set up I'll be there in a moment. Just have to inspect." He threw his bag under the desk and starting walking around looking at all the screens. He always did this. Ginny didn't really think it was necessary, if anything in one of them moved it would not have been hard to miss. All the screens were so boringly still that if anything changed it would stick out like a sore thumb. Still he did it every night. So Ginny got the cards out and preformed the shuffle charm. 

"Nothing different," Harry said as he sat down.

"There's a surprise."

"I was just thinking with Lisa…"

An idea struck Ginny. "You don't think that Goyle was talking about …about Lisa? But we don't even know that she is missing, I mean she just missed one meeting."

He laughed. "Have you seen Lisa around the school lately?"

"No, but she could have been following Goyle. Couldn't she have been?"

He shook his head. "As much as I want to think that, I am afraid I don't. Do you think I preformed the _gasodic _charm for nothing?"

"What is the _gasodic _charm?" Ginny knew what she thought it was, but she wanted to be certain.

"It makes us gas. As in we are no longer solid. Since we aren't solid, we can't be seen, or felt. Of course it is only temporary. At the time I didn't realize that Draco was with him. Hopefully Draco got out information, what we hear didn't really help."

"You mean to say that, we were…we weren't _solid_?"

"Yeah."

"But then how did we hold hands?" she remembered the warm feeling his hand left.

"We were both gases, so we could see and feel each other, but no one else could. Come on it's your turn." He pointed to the snap cards that lay forgotten on the desk.

"Oh right." They played in silence for a while, until Harry said something very unexpected.

"I'm glad you joined." Ginny looked up sharply. Harry was still looking at the cards. He didn't seem to want to meet her eyes. 

"That was totally out of the blue." He still didn't look up. To tell the truth Ginny had thought that Harry didn't want her to join. As much as she had enjoyed being in SID, she had always felt like she was intruding on Harry's private life.

"I mean it." He raised his eyes and looked into Ginny's eyes. She stared back into those deep green pools. He's telling the truth she suddenly realized. She could almost read his every thought just by looking into those eyes.

Ginny suddenly realized how close they were. It made her fidgety, being this near Harry. They had both stood up too, without Ginny noticing. Their faces were barely inches from each other.

"Do you still feel like you are going crazy?" She whispered. She didn't know why she was whispering, it just seemed to be the right thing to do. Something was happening. She didn't know what, but she knew it was important. Harry seemed to realize the same thing. He took awhile in answering.

"Only when I am near you." He whispered this so quietly that Ginny was almost certain that she had heard wrong. He cocked his head to side slightly. Ginny did the same. He leaned in toward her. She only realized what he was going to do a second before he did it. Or almost did it. 

"Ahem." Ginny jumped and pulled away before Harry's lips met hers. She turned around and saw of all people to catch them almost kissing. Dumbledore was standing in the doorway. Harry stepped away from her. His back was still to the doorway, but Ginny thought he probably knew who it was. Slowly he turned around. Ginny could see a look of disbelief on his face. She knew how he felt. Of all the times for the headmaster to pay a visit, it had to be the moment when all her dreams were about to come true. Most nights on duty she would have welcomed a visitor. Dumbledore had a very amused expression on his face. "I am sorry if I, er, interrupted something."

"Nothing, Headmaster." Harry muttered. His face said that it was something. "Is there someway we can help you?"

"Uh, yes. I have just talked to Draco. He had some very interesting information. Some involved you two down by the kitchen." Here his smile grew wider. "But the more important has to do with Lisa. They have her." Harry's face paled considerably.

"Do you know where?"

Dumbledore sadly shook his head. "Not at the moment, but we know her destination. That is where you two come in. Screen number 83."

Harry jumped. "83? You are sure?"

"Unfortunately, yes, I am very sure. You see why we need you two. Especially you Harry. Ginny, you came in handy too." Ginny felt like she had missed something. _Which screen was number 83? _She looked around at the hundreds of screens surrounding them. 

Harry was still trying to find some reason to show she wasn't wherever screen 83 was. "But…but how would they get in?"

"They same way Ginny did." 

And it clicked. Ginny knew exactly what 83 showed. She also knew she didn't want to go anywhere near there. "No," she said. They both looked at her. She just shook her head, as if she couldn't find the right words. "Where is the screen?" Harry pointed to one at eye level across from them. She had been right. They screen showed an empty bathroom. Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Her eyes wide with fear she turned around. "What do you want us to do?"

Dumbledore looked extremely grave. "Harry is the only person who can open it. And Ginny, you are the only on other than Harry that has been in there. Now I want you two to watch that screen. At the slightest sign of movement run as fast as you can down there. Go by my office and knock on the gargoyle, I'll hear it. When you get to the bathroom, you can wait for me, or go in. Ok? Are you both ok with this?"

Harry nodded mutely, but Ginny didn't react. She sat down hard on the desk. Dumbledore gave her a concerned look, winked at Harry, and left. Harry was left standing there feeling worse then he had all week. There were so many thoughts running through his head. Although they weren't what would be expected having just been informed that a student had been kidnapped by Death Eaters. _I almost kissed Ginny. Ginny, my best friends sister. She doesn't have to go down there, does she? I almost kissed her. What will Ron say? I didn't even know I like her that way. What a cheesy line that was 'only when I am near you.' How lame. **Do** I like her that way?_

"So…" He turned around to face Ginny who was sitting curled up on the desk. Her hands were covering her face, but from the small sobs and the way her body was shacking, he figured she was crying.

If Harry Potter had one weakness, it was girls. He never felt perfectly comfortable around them. And when they cried he had absolutely no idea what to do. Ron had always taken care of Hermione when she cried, with Harry standing next to him pretending to help. 

"Oh Ginny, uh, don't cry." He went over to her and awkwardly put his arms around her. Seating himself next to her he said, "Don't worry, it will be alright." 

"Oh Harry." She gave a big sob on threw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry, I'm acting like a such a baby."

"No honey, you aren't. It's very understandable. You don't have to go down there, if you don't want to, but if you do, nothing bad will happen to you. I promise." Ginny looked into his eyes, and they told her everything. He was telling the truth, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. _But what if something happens to him? _

Ginny pulled out of Harry's arms and started wiping her eyes with her sleeves. "No, I'll go."

"You sure?"

"Yes. We should probably watch the screen." 

"What?" He looked confused for a moment. "Oh right, probably." He got up off the table and extended a hand. "Come on, Lady."

Ginny took it and smiled. "Thank you sir." Harry pulled her to her feet, then picked her up, causing her to cry out with surprise. He dropped her into a swivel chair. 

"It will be just like watching television," Harry said as he pushed her chair in front of screen 83. "Except, of course, the fact that things on the television usually move."

"Mmm…"

"Are you sure you're ok?" Ginny tore her eyes away from screen 83 and looked into Harry's. He was seating himself next to her in his own chair.

"Look into my eyes." Harry raised his eyebrows, but did as he was told. "Ok, now I am going to tell you that I am fine. Ok? I am fine. You tell me if I'm ok." He stared into her eyes for what seemed like hours.

"Your not."

Ginny smiled. "Right. But I will be." In a moment of courage she reached out and took Harry's hand. He grinned at her and squeezed it tighter. "You can sleep if you want, Harry. I'm really not tired, and who know how long it will be before we see anything."

"You sure?"

"Well, I could ask you to see for yourself, or you could believe me." She smiled at him.

"I believe you. I think I will take a quick nap. Wake me for anything, ok? Even if you just want to talk, or someone to sit with in silence. Anything stupid is ok. Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams." 

"Hopefully." And he was asleep.

Ginny, although she would have wanted to stare at Harry, had no chose but to watch the screen. And to make matters worse, it was a picture of the bathroom that she had avoided since her first year. It still gave her the creeps. So she sat, still holding Harry's hand, watching the unmoving bathroom for two hours. Just when she thought that she could sit no more and would have to get up to stretch her legs it happened. A cloaked person walked into the bathroom. It was quite a shock for Ginny, who had never seen television. It was a picture that was moving, and not in the way a wizard photo does. This was actually happening somewhere, it wasn't a person standing there waving.

"Harry!" She whispered, although she didn't know why. She didn't move. Poking him, she said again louder, "Harry!"

"I'm getting up Aunt Petunia." He squirmed in the chair a little

Ginny giggled. "No Harry, It's me Ginny."

He opened one bleary eye. "Ginny?" He opened his other eye. "Oh right, Ginny." 

"Look." She pointed to the screen. Another person, who seemed to be sleep walking, had joined the cloaked man. The first man pointed to the tap against the wall, and the sleepwalker went over to it. The bathroom door opened again and in walked Lucius Malfoy. He hadn't even bothered to wear a hood. In his arms was Lisa, she was out cold.

"Come on Ginny, we got to go." He was already standing up and opening the door. Ginny shot out of the chair with a slight wince—she had been sitting in the same position for two hours. She heard Harry mutter _Comme Vent._ The running charm, of course. She did the same to her feet. Immediately she felt and incredibly lightness come over her. She had a sudden urge to run and run until she could run no more. This was new to her, she had never been a big fan of running. 

"I want to run."

Harry laughed. "I know what you mean, let's go." He ran out of the door at an amazing speed. Ginny followed behind. It was the most amazing feeling. This must be what the wind feels like, thought Ginny. Her feet seemed to barely touch the ground. She didn't care where she ran, she just wanted to keep running forever. Harry, who was slightly ahead of her swerved around a corner and banged his hand on a statue.

"That must have hurt," Ginny called without slacking her breakneck speed.

"It was Dumbledore's door," he called over his shoulder.

"Oh, I see." In no time at all they were at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. In order to go in Ginny had to stop running, which she did regretfully. She was still jogging in place as they entered the bathroom.

"You know, Ginny, you might want to take that charm off."

"Charm?" She tried to remember what charm. "Oh right the charm. _Comme Lingot." _The urge to run suddenly left her and she was very happy just to stand and not move. "So do we wait for Dumbledore?"

Harry shook his head while inspecting the tap. "No, I'm trying to figure out how to leave the entrance open until he gets here. Do you think it would work if I told it to stay open."

"Might. It's probably worth a try," Ginny said while walking over to join Harry by the tap. She shuddered slightly when her eyes fell on the engraving of the snake. "I remember that." She pointed to snake. "It still scares me."

Harry gave her a searching look. Then shrugged. "Let's go." He turned back to the snake and started shaking his head to get the snake to look real. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words came a series of funny hissing and spluttering noises. The tap slide away, and Harry took a deep breath. "I'll go first," he said in English. 

Ginny nodded. Harry lowered himself into the pipe until only his head was showing. "I guess watch duty isn't as boring as I told you it would be," he said.

"No, it's very exciting. Maybe too much. Now go, we can't waste time." Harry gave a small wave and let go. Ginny followed behind. She remembered to clearly when she had done this five years ago. She had much better company this time, and was going in with different intentions. Just when she was thinking that the tunnel would never end, it leveled out and she landed with a bump on Harry. "Oops, sorry Harry."

"That's ok, get out your wand." 

Ginny took out hers and said "_Lumos."_ She saw the tunnel that had haunted her nightmares ever since her first year. Shaking they began to trudge down it. The ceiling lowered suddenly, and Ginny didn't see it in time. SMASH! And her world went black. 

__

Ginny Weasley walked towards the bathroom on the third floor. She didn't know why she was heading in that direction, but she couldn't stop walking. Something in the back of her head told her to turn around, but she couldn't. She reached the bathroom, and a little voice in her head said 'open the door.' She did. Inside was the ghost Moaning Myrtle. Ginny meant to say hello, but her mouth didn't want to say the words. 

This is scary, she thought. I have to get out of here. But she couldn't. Her legs carried her over to the far tap and strange words came out of her mouth. A large hole opened up, and suddenly she knew why she was in the bathroom, and what was going to happen.

"No," she said out loud even though she knew it would do no good. She tried to force herself to turn around. Bad things will happen if I go down there, she thought. The more she tried to resist, the stronger the bond became. The voice inside her head was louder. 'Go into the hole, go into the hole.'

"NO!" she screamed, but it was no use, her body was already halfway in the pipe. "No…Tom…no… I can't…TOM!" She was sliding down the pipe, it was slimy and wet. Suddenly she remembered something. The Diary! It was in her pocket. When she reached the bottom of the pipe, she reached into her pocket and grabbed the diary. 

How innocent it looks, thought Ginny. She tried to throw it far away, but she couldn't open her hand. "No…Tom stop!" she screamed again. 

"Stop struggling, stupid girl." This time the voice wasn't just in her head. It was coming for the book in her hands.

"Tom, why are you doing this?" As she talked her feet were steadily carrying her down the long tunnel. "No…I won't…Harry…he'll save me…"

"Oh you think hero boy can save you this time? I think not. He'll come to try save you, but I will finish him off. He cannot possibly think that he can defeat me. I am Lord Voldemort!" 

Ginny shuddered and desperately tried to grab onto the smooth walls. "He's much better than you! You're only a book, he's braver, he defeated you once, and…and…" She was losing strength.

The diary gave out a cold mirthless laugh. "I am only a book? Well we will see about that, stupid girl." They reached a set of doors with snakes on them. Ginny winced as the voice entered her head again. 'Open the doors, Girl.' She heard strange words coming out of her mouth, she tried to stop by sticking her fist in her mouth, but it did no good. The doors opened and she walked in. 

The voice was back in the diary. "Go over to the statue, and put me down in front of you. I want to show you something." Ginny, very unwillingly, obeyed. She put the book down in front of her, like directed. All of a sudden a wave of tiredness came over her. She felt drained and exhausted, like she had run miles. She put her hand to her forehead, but didn't sit down. That would show Riddle that he was tiring her. 

All of a sudden the diary began to shake and a thin line of smoke came out of it. It hovered above the book. It was joined by another and then another, until it began to take the shape of a human being. Ginny screamed. She knew what was happening, Riddle was coming out of the diary. He would be about to hurt Harry. "No…Harry…no…NO!" and she fainted.

"NO!"

"Ginny, Ginny. Wake up!" Someone was shaking her, hard. She could hear a note of panic in the person's voice. Upon opening her eyes she saw who it was. Harry. It all came back. She had hit her head on the ceiling, and must have been knocked out. "Are you ok? Do you want to go back? I'll go on alone."

"No," Ginny said struggling to her feet. "I'm fine." Harry looked at her like he didn't quiet believe that, but didn't say anything. "How long was I out?"

"Only a few minutes, but you kept yelling 'No' and 'Harry'. It was slightly unnerving." 

Ginny cracked a smile, which quickly disappeared when they reached the big doors with the snakes. It was exactly like she remember. Snakes, which looked too real to have been carved without magic, were all over the door. Harry took a deep breath and spoke to the door. It opened. He raised his eyebrows at her. She nodded and took his hand, and together they went through the door. 

***

A/N: Ok, sorry about the cliffhanger. I supposed I could have made it worse, but whatever. I actually sort of like this part. The next part might not be out for a while, I'm going away in about a week for a week, and it takes me long enough anyway to get these parts out. It's only been twelve days since I put the last part out. It must be a record for me. (I am really slow at getting parts out, sorry!) It was vacation, so that might be why. Please review (I'll love you forever)!

Message to aria* (if she is reading this)—More conversation, I know what you mean about people covering their ears when you say 'Harry'. People are always rolling their eyes at me when I start to quote the books. It's really not my fault. Whenever I hear someone say 'Once or Twice' I just _have_ to say 'A minute, all summer.' (page 96 in Sorcerers Stone, if you didn't know. Don't worry I have my book with me, I'm not that obsessed that I memorize page numbers. Although it might come to that if JKR doesn't get book five out soon.) I have no control over it. Hehe.


	4. Of Mean Wizards, Bad Spells, and Talks o...

When they stepped inside they quickly dropped hands

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

****

Keeping Harry Sane

Of Mean Wizards, Bad Spells, and Hogsmeade Trips 

Part four

When they stepped inside they quickly dropped hands. They chamber was just as Ginny remembered it. Dark, damp and incredibly horrible. As a result of the darkness she couldn't see anyone or anything. Their wand lights created a small circle of light around them, but after that, it was darkness. 

Harry leaned in really close to her and barely muttered, "Stick close to me. Keep your wand ready." He stood up straight and started to walk to the back of the room, towards the statue of Slytherin. His footsteps echoed loudly around the chamber, making it sound as though there was more than one person walking. Ginny blinked and jogged a few paces to catch up with him. This place gave her the creeps and even if Harry hadn't told her to, she would have stuck to him like glue.

By the time they were halfway to the statue they still hadn't seen anyone. Ginny was beginning to wonder if maybe they had been wrong about where Lisa was. Maybe the Death Eaters had tricked them. Harry didn't seem to think so, though, he was still walking purposefully towards the statue, which was getting closer. That was the statue that the basilisk came out of, Ginny remembered with a start. They couldn't have another one of those, could they? 

"Ah, Mister Potter, We've been expecting you." An extremely unpleasant voice drifted out of the shadows. Ginny jumped and spun around the way the voice had come from. "We thought you would be back to get your friend. Oh, I see you have brought your own friend. Spiffing, more fun for us."

Harry was peering through the gloom in the general direction of the voice. Ginny couldn't tell if he knew who it was or not. "Show yourself, Wormtail, we're not afraid."

Ginny wanted to yell 'speak for yourself,' she was positively shaking with fear, but she wouldn't show Harry that. She heard a few raspy words and then the chamber was bathed in bright light. Ginny had to shield her eyes at first. When she had gotten used to the light she looked around herself. She could really see the room properly now. It was large, almost as big as the Quidditch Pitch, with large stone pillars every ten yards or so. All the pillars were decorated with different carved snakes. They were standing right below the large statue of Salazar Slytherin, which was as tall as the ceiling. The ceiling had to be nearly one hundred feet up. She let out a small gasp, and looked around to find the person who had talked.

Over in the far corner of the large room were four people. Three grown men all in black robes and one young girl on the ground, uncontious. Lucius Malfoy was hovering near where Lisa lay, keeping an eye on her, and another man, who was seated next to Lisa. Ginny had never seen him before. The man that had spoken, Ginny figured his name must be Wormtail, was leaning against a pillar. Ginny recognized him as the sleepwalker. 

Ginny felt Harry tense next to her as he saw Wormtail. "Traitor," he muttered, biting his lip. 

"What was that, Potter. Like to speak up a bit?" Wormtail was grinning at Harry. Ginny had the sudden urge to go and punch him in the face, but didn't. 

"I said," Harry said in a strange, stiff voice. "Traitor!"

Wormtail laughed a cold, yet strangely high and squeaky, laugh. "Yes, I suppose I am. What are you going to do about it? You want your friend back, don't you?"

Harry grit his teeth and walked a pace or two towards Wormtail. Wormtail laughed again. "How about a duel?" he suggested. Ginny, whose legs were already shaking, fell over. "No help from anyone else. No seconds. Only magic. If I win, you turn yourself in, and I get to keep Turpin. And your other friend," he pointed to where Ginny was sitting on the ground, "is mine. If you win, you get Lisa."

"You can't hurt Ginny," Harry said. 

"Oh, can't I? We'll just see about that." A wicked grin was slowly spreading over his face. Harry turned around and looked at Ginny. 

"What if I don't?"

"Oh has Harry Potter gone soft? Refusing a duel. That isn't very courageous, Potter. You are in Gryffindor aren't you?" Wormtail's small watery eyes were narrowed in hate.

Harry turned to face him again. His eyes were blazing with hatred. "That doesn't prove anything. You were in Gryffindor," he said in a soft, even voice. Wormtail didn't respond, he was still leaning against the pillar. He seemed to be waiting for some kind of response. Harry sighed and turned. "One moment," he called to Wormtail as he walked over and squatted next to Ginny. "How are you with this?" 

Tears were coursing down her cheeks. She threw her arms around his neck and said, "Just be careful, ok?" She could still her his words in her head. _I feel as though when I walk through the halls people look at me thinking that I'm going to stop him for good. I don't know if I can… I'm only seventeen. _He might be only seventeen, but if anyone could do this, it was Harry.

He hugged her back and said, "Don't worry, I won't let him win."

"That's the attitude. Now go." She stood up and pulled him to his feet. Over his shoulder she saw Wormtail go and talk to Malfoy. Harry walked back over to where he had stood before. 

"Ok, Wormtail."

Wormtail smirked. "So maybe Potter has some courage left in him." He turned to Malfoy. "Get her." Malfoy scowled the 'Malfoy Scowl' and walked towards Ginny.

"What are you going to do to her?" Harry said.

"Oh don't worry. I won't do anything to her… _yet." _By this time Malfoy had reached Ginny, and put both his hands tightly around each of her wrists. "It's just so she doesn't interfere." Wormtail sniggered. "Though I doubt she could do anything."

It was probably a good thing that Malfoy was holding Ginny, otherwise Wormtail would have had a nasty bruise. Wormtail shot Ginny a look before turning back to Harry. "She's a pretty catch, Potter."

Harry, whose nerves were already pulled to the limit, glared and opened his mouth to say something rude, but obviously thought better of it and closed his mouth. Shaking his head slightly and smiling, as if laughing at a joke only he could hear, Harry opened his mouth again. "Let's just get this over with, ok?"

"Fine by me," said Wormtail, and before Harry could even raise his wand, Wormtail had shouted, "_expelliarmus." _Harry flinched and jumped out of the way. The spell hit the nearest pillar and bounced away harmlessly. 

Harry grit his teeth and the duel began in earnest. Ginny watch horrified as they dueled. It wasn't a little kid duel, there were no jelly leg hexes or tickling charms, Wormtail was shooting dark curses at Harry, and Harry—well, Harry was dodging them. Every now and then he would shot a curse like _expelliarmus _or something, but nothing drastic. As every minute passes, Ginny could sense Malfoy getting happier and happier. At one point she could have sworn she saw him smile, but later she attributed it to a trick of the light. 

It was as Harry dodged the _Simeia _curse—it causes your to turn into a monkey for a certain amount of time, doesn't sound very dangerous, but does a monkey know what to do with a wand?—that Ginny remembered something very important. Dumbledore. They had knocked on his door, and he said that he would come. He would come...wouldn't he? Please let him come soon, Ginny prayed silently, shutting her eyes. 

When she reopened them, she found Harry standing next to her, and Malfoy no longer holding her wrists. She grinned. "I knew you would win."

"Hold that thought. It's not over. I think Wormtail got tired, he's 'talking' to Malfoy. More like planning. So I came over to talk to you. So how are you?"

Ginny mouthed wordlessly at him. He was so…calm. "How are you?"

"I asked you first."

"Well, seeing as you're the one fighting a dark wizard, and I'm just standing here doing nothing, I think I should ask the question."

"Ok then," said Harry, without missing a beat, "I'm fine, now how are you?"

"Fine."

"Good."

"Yes."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, you're the one who came over here and bothered me. I was enjoying freaking out about you." Harry laughed. Ginny pursed her lips. "This is not the time for laughing."

"You look—and sound—just like McGonagall." Ginny couldn't help it: she laughed.

"Potter," called Wormtail from across the chamber. "Any year now." 

Harry stopped laughing, but was still smiling. He leaned in really close and whispered, "he's telling me to hurry up? It was his idea to stop." Ginny gave him a weak smile, and he continued. "Ok, so I have to go, wish me luck."

"Good luck." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. Smiling he walked over towards Wormtail, and Malfoy returned to holding Ginny's wrists. The duel went on, Wormtail must have thought it was getting rather boring because now he was sending unforgivable curses at Harry. Even though Harry managed to dodge most of them, he eventually got hit with an imperious curse. Ginny watched as his face went slack and calm. Wormtail grinned evilly. _Little did he know_, thought Ginny. 

"Bend over," barked Wormtail. Harry bent over. Ginny felt fear grip her. Harry could resist this curse. She knew he could. Why did he just bend over? "Hop on one foot." Seeing Harry hop seemed to amuse Wormtail; he started laughing. He stopped laughing and plastered his evil grin back on. He pointed at Ginny and said, "Kill her."

Ginny gasped and shrank back. Harry turned and started walking towards her. She remembered Moody's lessons from a few tears ago. She could remember the sense of peace that had come over her when she had been place under the imperious curse. She had not been able to fight it; although, she had tried. Maybe Harry had so many things running through his head he could not concentrate enough to fight it off. 

Then an awful thought came to Ginny. It was an awful and stupid thought. It came the way that awful thoughts come when you are scared. What if Harry _wanted _to kill her? Later, not only years, but minutes, she would realize what a stupid and illogical thought it was, but at the moment she almost believed it. Almost…until she saw something odd flicker in his eyes. Things aren't supposed to flicker in peoples eyes who are under the imperious curse. This was a hoax. Harry was not really under the spell. She almost smiled. Malfoy released her arms and backed away. Ginny tried to plant a horrified expression on her face, but was not really succeeding. Malfoy was now standing next to Wormtail, so Harry had his back to both of them. He took full use of this by mouthing 'get out your wand.'

Pretending to be in a panicked fright, she backed away and reached into her robes. She couldn't help but think that she was very lucky to still have her wand with her. They had forgotten to take it. Over Harry's shoulder she could see Malfoy and Wormtail whispering with cruel smirks on their faces. Oh how she wanted to go over there and strangle them. Turning back to Harry she saw he was mouthing something. 'On three. One, two…'

"THREE!" he screamed and spun around. Ginny stepped up next to him; they both had their wands raised. 

***

Ron was bored. He was sitting next to Hermione in the Gryffindor common room on a Friday night. Hermione was doing Transfiguration homework, and was in a bad mood. As she said she had wasted a whole ten minutes trying to get Ron to do homework. But as he said, he had the whole weekend to do that. 

"So," began Ron trying to make conversation, "what do you want to do this weekend?"

"Mmm…"

"Pardon?"

"Mmm…" Hermione said thoughtfully again, as she presses her quill end to her mouth. 

"Excuse me. Are you listening to a word I have said?"

Hermione looked up suddenly and stared at Ron, like he had too many heads. "What? Did you say something?"

Ron, after he checked just to make sure he only had one head, shook his head. "Of course I didn't say anything," he said sarcastically. Hermione must have missed to sarcasm, and was about to go back to her homework, so Ron kept talking. "Yes, yes I did say something." Hermione continued to give him a funny look. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" Hermione asked while looking longingly at her homework.

"Like however you were just looking, and," he said noticing her quill tip slowly moving towards the parchment, "don't do that." He snatched it away just before she could put her quill on it.

"Hey!" she cried indignantly. "We have NEWTs soon, I have to be ready. You really should start studying."

Ron gave her an exasperated look. "Hermione its only October, we have like ten months."

"Yes I know, but you can't start studying to soon. I really don't know when Harry is going to study. He is never around. Do you know where he is?"

Ron snorted. "I'd be the last to know. He'd probably tell Ginny."

"Are you still upset about this morning? You really should forgive Harry. He'll have forgiven you by the time he gets back—from where ever he is. You know how he is."

Ron snorted again. "Yeah, I do. He thinks he knows everything."

"Ron, you know you're wrong. He obviously knows Ginny somehow that we aren't aware of—"

"I'll tell you how," interrupted Ron. "He's getting it on with my sister!" Ron nearly yelled.

"Shh, Ron, now you know that is not true."

"How do I know it isn't true? He has been spending an awful lot of time with her. Haven't you noticed?"

Hermione glanced around nervously as if to make sure they weren't behind them. "Yeah, I noticed." She was interrupted by an 'ah-ha' by Ron, but continued as if nothing had happened. "But I don't think it is anything like that." Again she glanced around nervously. "You know as well as I do that Ginny has been… well, she likes Harry."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Well," said Hermione her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not really exactly sure, but it must have something to do with it."

"Maybe," said Ron sarcastically, "Harry feels bad for her."

Hermione nodded seriously, having missed the sarcasm once again. "Maybe."

"I'm still sticking to my original theory."

"Fine be stubborn."

"Fine!"

"Fine! Now let me finish my homework."

"What to go to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Ron asked suddenly.

Hermione looked up sharply; she had been staring at her homework, which was still in Ron's hand. "What? With you?"

"No with Neville. Of course with me."

Hermione seemed to be considering. "Well with Harry too, right?" Ron made a face. "Ron," Hermione said in a disapproving voice. "Harry's our best friend."

"Well, he sure isn't acting that way recently. Let him go with Ginny."

"What is your problem? You would be lost without Harry. I know you know it. I won't go with you if Harry doesn't go."

"Fine," said Ron, "let him come, I don't care."

***

Ginny wished she had a camera. The look on Wormtail's face, when he realized Harry wasn't under the curse, was priceless. It was a strange mixture of horror, at the fact that Harry and Ginny were both pointing their wands at him; disbelief, not wanting to believe that Harry knew how to shack off the curse; and confusion, of how he could possibly have resisted it. All this made him look like he had swallowed something sour, sweet, and bitter all at the same time. Of course it only lasted a second, then his expression turned wholly sour again. 

Malfoy was a different subject. He barely flinched when Harry had yelled, and now he looked calm. Almost too calm. The man who had been sitting next to Lisa got up and joined Malfoy and Wormtail. It was three against two.

Hugs and kisses for anyone who e-mail's me, and lets me know what they think. ~Ice Lily


	5. Of Lovesick Ghosts, Upset Statues, and A...

Dumbledore hummed a short tune while striding down the hallway

Yippee! I have over 100 reviews!!! I love all of you who review!

I'm sorry for the long wait, I had to write some of chapter six before I could post this because I need the end of the fighting to match up with what happens. As a result I have a lot of Chapter Six written, so hopefully it won't be too long before it's out. 

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Would anyone reading this story actually not know that? I mean obviously everything is J.K. Rowling's.

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Keeping Harry Sane

Of Lovesick Ghosts, Upset Statues, and Arguments

Part Five

Humming an old Beatles tune, Albus Dumbledore rounded a second floor corner. He was having a very good day…well maybe except for the fact that a student was missing and in position of Death Eaters—but would you let that get you down? At breakfast he had "accidentally" overheard an interesting argument between Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger concerning Mr. Potter. After Lunch his shipment of fizzing wizzbies had come from Honeydukes, along with a box of fake wands, that were so much fun to plant in the teachers lounge. During dinner, Minerva and Severus had a very interesting argument about 'cats in society.' Then there had been his brilliant idea to send Harry and Ginny with the laundry. He wasn't sure why he did this or why it was brilliant, but it had given him a good few minutes of laughter. And, of course the highlight of the day had been walking in on Harry and Ginny in the watch duty room. He knew it was wrong to think so, but he found that very amusing. At the moment he was coming back from tea with the house elves.

Dumbledore stopped dead and looked around. He had to think a moment before he realized where he was. Right outside the gargoyle in front of his office. 

"Hello Buster," Dumbledore said to the stationary statue. He paused, as if waiting for an answer, then laughed. "Oh right, of course. Turtle Taffies."

The statue sprang to life and marched aside. "G'night sir."

"Time?"

"11:30, sir."

"Thanks, Buster." Dumbledore started up the staircase.

"Yup, and can you let your students know that I don't find getting hit on the head very funny." 

Dumbledore jumped backwards, back down the stairs that he had climbed. "Come again?"

"Just because I can't move, doesn't mean I can't fell." 

The old headmaster stared at the statue, not sure what to make of this news. "So you're saying someone ran by and, and, knocked on you?" Buster nodded seriously. "Could you describe this person to me?"

Buster's face screwed up in a would-be thoughtful face, but on a stone carving, it looked rather odd. "There were two, a, uh, boy and a girl. The girl had long hair—don't remember the color. The boy had black hair and a hard hand."

Dumbledore continued to give the statue a piercing look. "How long ago did this happen, Buster?"

"About 25 minutes ago, Sir."

"Well then, I better go." He turned around and sprinted off at a speed that you would have not thought possible for someone of his age. "You can close the door," he yelled over his shoulder at the statue. Buster saluted and walked back in front of the door.

He arrived several minutes later outside a door with a large "out-of-order" sign taped on. Totally ignoring this, and the little figure of a woman, he pushed open the door and entered the bathroom.

Moaning Myrtle, the only one inside, was peering into a large gapping hole, in the place that the end sink should have been. However, hearing the door creak open she turned around. Her large pearly white eyes widened behind her glasses when she realized who it was. "Good evening, Myrtle."

Myrtle was still blinking her eyes as if making sure he was really there. "Headmaster sir, this is unexpected. You. In my bathroom. But sir," she shook her head sadly as if reporting a death. "This is a _girls _bathroom. I must insist that you leave."

"I am well aware of what gender usually uses this bathroom, Myrtle. But, You see, I really don't have a choice," he tried to explain. Reaching into one of his many robe pockets, he pulled out his pocket watch. All the swirling colors, revolving planets, and many hands must have made sense to him, as he said, "I am really on a tight schedule."

"Now, Headmaster, as honored to have you here as I am, I do not think you could have to go that badly. I happen to know that a men's toilet is located just down the hall." She paused as if waiting for him to leave. "If you don't mind, you might want to go there."

Dumbledore didn't leave. Instead he shook his head as if he found this situation, even though time was fast ticking away, funny. "No, no, no, you misunderstand, I don't have to use the bathroom, I need to go down that hole." He pointed to the hole next to Myrtle. 

Myrtle moved in front of the hole, as if protecting it. "I'm sorry Headmaster, sir, but with all due respect, I must insist that you go and find a different hole, in a men's bathroom."

"Now, please don't be stupid, students could die if you don't move."

Myrtle ignored this comment; she was shacking her head. "Can't allow it sir, just can't allow it. I can't and won't let boys into my girls' bathroom. What would the headmaster say if he found out? He probably would kick me out, and then where would I be? Out in the corridors, I'd probably get bullied by all the other ghosts." She shivered.

"Myrtle," Dumbledore said, very calmly despite the situation. "I am the headmaster, and I would never kick you out of this bathroom."

The young ghost gave Dumbledore a very disapproving look. "A very likely excuse Headmaster, sir. Saying that you are the headmaster. I've heard it all before. Boys wanting to get a look at the girls with their robes down. No, I have a zero tolerance policy."

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "If you don't mind me asking, then how did this hole get here."

"Oh, that." She smiled. "Well, I was in my toilet, down at the U-bend, crying. And I heard someone come in, so I came up, and watched. It was that little girl, Ginny Weasley, and Harry Potter." Here her smile got bigger. "Harry walked over to the tap and started talking in that funny language, and then the hole appeared."

"So," said Dumbledore scratching his chin, "You don't let any boys into this bathroom, right?" She nodded. "And yet, Harry Potter, who I believe is a boy, opened the hole. Unless I am mistaken on his gender?"

Myrtle suddenly looked very bashful. "Oh, well, of course he's a boy, but well, he's different."

"How so?"

"Well you know, he's the boy who lived, and," she added in an undertone, "He is very, very cute."

"I see. Now please Myrtle, let me by."

"No."

He resisted the urge to say, 'you don't think I'm cute?' Instead he said, "Myrtle, down that hole are two, possibly three, students who could be in mortal danger, and if I don't get down there I don't want to know what will happen."

Myrtle dismissed the idea of students in mortal danger. "I am sorry, sir, but you need to find another way in."

Dumbledore decided it was time for drastic action. Harry and Ginny could be dying, for all he knew. "Myrtle, either move aside or I will have to walk through you." Usually, Dumbledore was very considerate to all the ghosts, who he knew could be very touchy about the subject of being dead, especially Myrtle, who was touchier than most, but he needed to get down that hole.

Myrtle, of course, being Myrtle, burst into expected tears, and regarded Dumbledore with teary eyes. "You didn't need to make it personal, sir. If you feel that strongly about it, then go ahead, but I wouldn't want to be you when I tell the staff." She gave one last sniff and sulked off into her end stall.

He knew that by tomorrow, Myrtle would have forgotten all about it, and not think any less of him, but leaving her in her present state gave Dumbledore an uneasy feeling. He took it as a bad omen, which was definitely not what he needed. However, he did not have time to broad on bad omens, he needed to get into that chamber.

Ten minutes later, after a slimy slide, and a long trek, Dumbledore stood staring at the doubledoors that led into what he figured was the Chamber of Secrets.

He had never been down into the chamber himself, and although he had found out some information from Harry five years ago, he was actually curious to see it. But, there was no way for him to see it if he couldn't get through these doors. There was no keyhole, no doorknob or handle. He had tried several simple magical charms, none of which had worked. The thing that kept coming to him was dark magic, but surely Harry wouldn't know that, and even if he did know a little, he wouldn't have know any as a second year. After a few moments of pondering other magical ways of locking a door, he decided it must be a password. Harry would not know the password, unless he was told, but by who? Tom could have told him, but he didn't think that likely. That was when it hit him. Tom was a parseltongue, so was Harry, as well as Slytherin. The password must be in Parseltongue. This did not help Dumbledore, as he didn't speak the snake language. His only hope would be a highly powerful spell that would break the enchantment, or a spell that hadn't been invented until after Slytherin's time. 

He tried the charms they use in the castle to change regular paintings or statues into password ones, and back again. It didn't work. He tried _Hadus Morcus_, which is such a powerful opening charm that if said to a skyscraper, every window, door, cabinet, and drawer would spring open instantly. He knew that this charm was invented in 1535, when a group of people were trapped in a burning building. It didn't work. Getting desperate, he tried a spell that makes wood rot on the spot. Apparently the wood in the door was none rottable. It was now 11:47, taking into account the time to get to the chamber, he calculated how long Harry and Ginny had been there. About thirty minutes. And as it only takes three seconds for the _Avada_ _Kedavra_ curse to be used, this didn't cheer him. 

Dumbledore knew that he always came up with his brilliant ideas while his mind was wondering. The whole Mirror of Erised/Sorcerers Stone thing had come to him while brushing his hair and thinking about the previous night's dinner of meat pie. So, he stood there for three-ish minutes thinking about the next days Halloween feast. When nothing came to him, the days events flashed through his head. Getting up…breakfast of eggs and cereal…sending Ginny and Harry to the kitchen…their encounter with Draco and Goyle…Goyle not seeing them because of the gasodic charm….walking in—the gasodic charm! That was how he could get through the doors. Not even wizard door makers could make doors with out a tiny hole. Sure there were ways to seal a door, but they aren't perfect and rotted away if left untreated. And if there was even the smallest crack, a gas could go through.

Dumbledore closed his eyes and began muttering the words of the spell. He could almost feel the particles in his body spreading out and moving faster. He opened his eyes a sliver and stepped forward, willing his body to find a separation in the door. Eventually finding it, he moved through it and into the Chamber of Secrets he had heard so much about. 

He re-closed his eyes and made himself solid. When he opened his eyes, he blinked in the sudden light. Someone had done a very good job of illuminating the chamber. On his first glance around the large room, it appeared to be empty, but he could hear the raspy breathing of someone in pain echoing off the high ceiling and stone walls. 

He knew he should find Harry and Ginny, but he had to stop for a moment. The carvings of snakes on the pillars were like nothing he had ever seen. They looked ready to pounce at any moment. Slytherin was not famous for being an expert carver, but he must have had some talent, or knew someone who did. Dumbledore had to resist the urge to go over and touch them, partly to see what they felt like and partly to make sure they weren't real. 

But, knowing he had a mission, Dumbledore tore his eyes away from the carved snakes and strode purposefully forward. As soon as he passed the nearest pillar to him, he found what he had been looking for. Behind the pillar, which had been obstructing his view, were six figures. Three dressed in black cloaks, the other three in black school robes. Three lying on the ground, three were standing. The only problem was, that two of the standing figures were in black cloaks. 

Harry was still standing, but it had been his breathing that Dumbledore had heard, and he was leaning heavily on his right leg. About ten feet from Harry were the others still standing—Lucius Malfoy and Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew. Dumbledore seemed to have walked in on a lull in the fighting. Harry was struggling to stay upright, while keeping an eye on Ginny (who was lying a few feet away). She wasn't moving except for the steady rise and fall of her chest. Wormtail and Malfoy were engaged in a conversation, and hadn't noticed him. The only good news that Dumbledore could see from his viewing point, was that Lisa was there—and alive, also he figured the fact that one Death Eater was out cold, could be considered good. 

Dumbledore reached into his pocket and dug around for a moment before pulling out his wand. 12 and one half inches, mahogany, and unicorn hair—he had had this wand for 68 years, ever since his first year at Hogwarts. He paused only for a moment before barking out several words in another language—presumably Latin because things like that always seem to be in Latin. A thin line of bright blue light shot out of Dumbledore's wand. The light formed a kind of rope thing between Harry and the Death Eater. 

The light exploded, up and down, creating a wall, which extended from Dumbledore to the chamber wall, dividing Harry from his foes. Harry looked at the wall for a second, before looking at Dumbledore, relief and pain etched all over his face. This gave Dumbledore a good look at him. There was a cut just above his left eyebrow, causing blood to trickle down behind his glasses. His right eye was red and puffy, and his left leg stuck out at a not-normal angle. All-in-all, Harry looked ready to collapse.

Malfoy was giving Dumbledore an incredibly ugly look, full of loathing he didn't bother to hide. He seemed to have accepted the fact that they had company, and was trying to do something about it, but Wormtail, on the other hand, was staring at Dumbledore's blue wall as if he didn't really think it could be there. Obviously not wanting to believe that Dumbledore had cast some sort of protection wall, and hoping it was decoration, Wormtail cast a few simple spells, all which bounced back, and getting frustrated even tried _Avada Kedavra_. As a last straw he threw his hand at the wall. It bounced back with an odd crunch.

Without wasting any time, Dumbledore sent ropes from his wand to tie up Malfoy, Wormtail, and the Unidentified Death Eater. Wormtail could be heard muttering a severing charm, to no avail.

Dumbledore walked calmly towards the two still standing, even though they were bound, Death Eaters. "Nice of you to come," he said to them. "Let's heard up to the castle, shall we?" His calm appearance didn't extend to his eyes, which were steely and cold, not one trace of a twinkle.

But if Dumbledore's eyes were scary, it was nothing compared to Malfoy's. If he wasn't tied up, he looked about ready to take Dumbledore on, wands or not. Wormtail just looked scared and confused as to how their plan—which had seemed to be working—had gone so wrong. He was looking more like the scared little man he had been in the shrieking shack so many years ago, and less like the Death Eater he had been before Dumbledore arrived. Harry had moved over to the nearest pillar, and was using it to support himself.

Malfoy spoke up. "Dumbledore, you think you have stopped us? Ha! Capturing us will do nothing to help your side. I am afraid nothing can help you now. Putting us away will only make my master angrier. Nothing can stop him when he is angry. You hear me? NOTHING! Not even Harry Potter. My master has learned from what happened sixteen years ago, and had taken precautions. And to prove it, my master will kill him."

Dumbledore didn't know whether or not to believe Malfoy, but didn't have time right now to think it over. Not wanting to take any chances, Dumbledore stunned the three Death Eaters as he walked over to Harry.

Harry had one of the raised stone carvings in a death grip as he fought to stay standing. He was staring at Ginny. Dumbledore looked him up and down. "I would have brought Fawkes, if I had thought to."

Harry gave him a half smile. "I'm fine, it's…" he paused to catch his breath, "it's Ginny."

"What happened to her?"

"_Stupefy Betimus,_" Harry winced.

Dumbledore nodded seriously, he knew what that was. "Well then, no time to waste. What should I do about you? If there is anything I can't do, it's fix bones, never really got the hang of it. I'm assuming that your leg is broken." He looked at Harry, who nodded. "Ok, stretchers." He snapped his fingers, and six stretchers appeared. 

Dumbledore got the five people out cold onto stretchers with out problem. Harry put up a small protest ("I'm fine, I'll walk"), but eventually he saw it Dumbledore's way ("If you don't get on that stretcher, I'll stun you.") Dumbledore took care of the blue shield wall with an almost lazy _finite incantatum_. And when they got to the exit, another one plunged the chamber back into darkness.

Madame Pomfrey, in her night cap and pajama's (they had broomsticks on them), bustled toward three empty beds. She disappeared a for a moment, as she went behind the first set of curtains surrounding a bed. This happened two more times, as she fixed the sheets and pillows.

Dumbledore sent the three air-borne stretchers bearing students into the infirmary. "Thanks Poppy. Please just make them comfortable. I'll talk to you about how to treat them, and what's wrong when I came back in the morning. I should be back around 5:30. Right now I need to run down to my office to bring some things down there, and send a few owls. From what I heard from Harry, Ginny is under _Stupefy Betimus, _and I'm not sure about Lisa. Harry passed out about five minutes ago. I'll leave them to you now." He turned and exited the Hospital Wing.

Out in hallway the three unconscious Death Eaters awaited him. "Now comes the fun part," he said with a small smile.

It was ten passed midnight, and Ron and Hermione were still in the common room, although Ron wasn't sure why. Only three other people were up: two fifth years, and a sixth year who had just come back from a date. Hermione was studying, Ron wasn't.

"God, Hermione, I know you do!" Ron said, breaking a silence they had fallen into.

Hermione looked up from her potions notes, and blinked, confused. "Do what?"

"Why don't you just go out with him? Any idiot can see he's in love with you, and you refused to go to Hogsmeade without him. You and Harry are perfect for each other."

"Wait a minute. I refused to go with just you because Harry is our _friend_. I didn't want him left out. And I could swear the several hours ago you were accusing Harry of, of trying to…you know… with Ginny—something he would never do, by the way—and now you are saying he likes me. I'm not following…"

She had expected Ron to go red, and trip over his words, trying to explain, but he didn't. He was nodding his head, as if Hermione had just explained all the mysteries of life. "Exactly. Don't you see? He doesn't like Ginny, but he knows that she has always loved him, so he is just using her."

"What would he be using her for?"

"To get you!" he yelled, as though this was extremely obvious. The fifth years looked up from their homework.

This was when both of them noticed someone was standing right behind them.

Dumbledore.

Hermione tried to suppress a smile. Dumbledore thought about all the things he had walked in on in the past twelve hours. Ron turned a brilliant red, wondering, _how much had he heard_? 

Apparently enough, as the first thing that he said was, "I would rethink your conclusions, Mr. Weasley."

This made Ron go even brighter red. He was so embarrassed that it didn't even cross his mind that this was the first time he had seen Dumbledore in the common room. Hermione had thought of it though. "Professor, not offense or anything, but why are you hear? I mean I have never seen you in a common room."

Dumbledore sighed. "I am afraid that the reason I am here is not a happy one. As you can tell, Harry and Ginny are not here, nor are they in their dormitories. They are in the hospital wing. I am afraid it is fairly serious." 

Ron's red face turned white. "What did he do to her?" This comment earned him a very stern look from Hermione.

Dumbledore, however, laughed. "He did nothing, I can assure you, except maybe save her life. I am not totally sure of what happened, for all know they may have just fallen down the stairs. But from the looks of it, they didn't fall down the stairs. Anyway, I must ask that you don't go and visit them now, neither are conscious. Wait until the morning, they may not be awake, but I'll let you see them. Goodnight, both of you. And I suggest you go to sleep."

He left without giving anymore information. Hermione and Ron were left to wonder if their injuries were serious enough that they may never see their friends alive again. Dumbledore had been extremely vague, which was not comforting.

On Halloween morning, at 5:30, Hermione's alarm went off. Even though she had only gone to bed four hours earlier (she and Ron had stayed up another hour discussing Harry and Ginny. Ron would not admit to maybe being wrong) she jumped up quickly, and got dressed. After pulling on clean robes, she ran out of the dormitory. 

The common room was deserted. 5:30 was early even for a Hogsmeade trip, when people tend to get up early. 

Hermione wondered briefly how Ron could sleep, not knowing if his best friend and sister were okay. But Ron wasn't in the common room, so she headed to the hospital wing alone.

When she got to the infirmary she could her load whispers from inside, as if two people were arguing, but trying to keep their voices low. She pushed open the door, and saw a red faced Ron arguing with Madame Pomfrey. 

"I don't care if they are sleeping! Look she's my sister, and he's my," he took a big breath and shot Hermione, who he had just notice enter the wing, a look, "he's my best friend. I need to see them. An hour ago you told me I could see them in a few minutes. It's been 60!"

Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips and shook her head. "I'm afraid that I can't allow that at the moment. I need to talk to the headmaster first. Hello Miss Granger, are you here to see Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley."

Hermione nodded, she couldn't talk. She was giving Ron a very teary eyed look. Ron just looked confused. "What?" he said.

She gave a big sniff, and threw her arms around him. "I knew you would come around."

"Come around what?" Hermione was flat out crying now, and Ron tried desperately to calm her. 

She pulled back and wiped her nose. "Harry _is_ your best friend." 

Ron turned red and shuffled his feet. "Well, I thought about everything you and Dumbledore said, and I figured maybe I am wrong." Madame Pomfrey seemed to have realized that it would much more polite to leave, so she did. "I'm not admitting to being wrong, but I felt kind of bad having said all those bad things, and then Harry goes and gets hurt. I mean, what if he had died?" This started Hermione on a fresh wave of tears, and once again she gave Ron a big hug.

And once again, Dumbledore chose the moment to walk in, when occupants of the room would not have wanted him to. He walked in and saw Hermione crying while she hugged Ron, Ron trying to quiet her, and Madame Pomfrey watching interested from her office. He waved at Madame Pomfrey to come over, and Hermione and Ron broke apart. Hermione's eyes were red and she was still sniffling. 

Dumbledore grinned at Ron and Hermione. "You two are up early today. It's here to see Harry and Ginny I assume. Well, I need to talk to Madame Pomfrey first, then, as long as it is okay with her, you can see them." He gave them one last smile as he followed Madame Pomfrey to the back of the hospital wing, where her office was. 

She took a seat behind her desk, and riffled through her papers for a minute. Dumbledore seated himself in front of the desk and waited politely for Madame Pomfrey to get ready.

At long last, after she seemed to have looked through every paper on her desk, she muttered a small, "ah ha," and looked up at Dumbledore. "Now, I have examined the three of them. No treatments have been applied, except for some pain killer for Harry. He woke up in the middle of the night. Anyway, I was waiting to talk to you first. Now, Miss Turpin is probably the least of our worries. She suffered a blow to her head, and is still out cold. There will be no lasting harm. When she wakes up she might have a bit of a headache, but that's all. Now Ginny, you and I know both know what can happen to someone placed under that spell. I can't say what the lasting affects will be, if any, but more than likely there will be. There is a very good reason that spell is considered Dark Arts." She took a breath and looked back down at her papers. "Now for Harry." She continued to look at her papers, and seemed to read off a list. "Many breaks in his left leg, slightly dislocated left knee cap, skull fracture, several broken ribs, three fairly deep cuts, and one black eye." She raised her eyebrows at Dumbledore. "What I really need to discuss is Harry's treatment. His leg is very—"

Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her. "Before you continue I would like to speak with Harry. I would take him to my office, but after what you said, I don't want to risk it. I'll just step outside and wait for him to wake up. Thank you, Poppy."

The first thing Harry knew when he woke up was that the pain killer had worn off. His left leg felt as though someone had chopped it off with a blunt axe, and he could have sworn there were several daggers in his head and chest. The next thing he knew, was a pair of eyes hovering a few feet above his head. Then he saw red hair. Ron.

"Madame Pomfrey!" Ron screamed, causing Harry head to pound. He winced, but Ron didn't seem to notice. "Madame Pomfrey… Professor… he's awake!" Two people came running in to Harry's cubical, and even without his glasses Harry could tell they were Madame Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore.

Madame Pomfrey grabbed a goblet from the side table and shoved the contents down his mouth. Immediately his head stopped spinning and the pain in his leg dulled. One or two of the daggers were pulled out. He reached blindly out towards the night table, and located his glasses. The whole cubical came into focus as he slipped them on his nose, and sat up. All three of them were looking at him like he might explode.

"Um…hi?" he said, slightly uncomfortable in the silence.

"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore said calmly. No one said anything more. Harry felt like an animal at the zoo. Then Dumbledore smiled. "May I talk to Harry alone for a moment?" 

Madame Pomfrey and Ron blinked and looked away, as if they had just realized they had been staring. "Of course, Professor," Madame Pomfrey said and left, with a look at Ron that said 'you had better leave or else.' 

After Ron had left as well, Dumbledore pulled up a chair next to Harry. "Harry, I have to ask you to tell me what happened."

Harry nodded. He knew that was coming. But first he wanted some information. "How long have I been here? How's Ginny? And Lisa? What happened to the death Eaters? Who was the other Death Eater?"

Dumbledore grinned. "Whoa, slow down. You were asleep for about twelve hours, Ginny is still out, Lisa is okay, she woke up a few hours ago, and the Death Eater's are in the company of several nice hit wizards." He smiled, but Harry didn't look satisfied. "Oh right the other Death Eater, Kilrain Nott. You know, the father of the Mr. Nott Draco had been following." 

Harry nodded, and adjusted the pillow behind him. "So what happened. Ok well, we saw movement in screen 83. Actually Ginny did…"

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Next: Find out what happened down in the chamber, find out what the spell that Ginny is under is all about, there might (key word: might) be some kissing, I change PoV's a lot, Ginny wakes up, and my first ever thank you section ( I know you are all excited, so review if you want to be in it.)

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Please Read: I know that at times my writing (please excuse my French) sucks, and I am trying to make it better. So, I am looking for a beta-reader. From what I have gathered about them, it is someone who reads over your story and tells you what stinks, (if I'm wrong please tell me). Anyway I would love you all to bits if someone would volunteer to do it for me. Someone who will be very honest. If you are willing, you can say so in your review or can e-mail me. If you say something in your review, please leave your e-mail address, and I'll e-mail you. 

Thanks so much, 

*Ice Lily*


	6. Of Protection Rings, Missed Hogsmeade Tr...

Hey, *Ice Lily*

So, do you think this took me long enough to get out? I could take longer. Nah, I won't be mean. Sorry about the wait. I was away for a while, but I know that is no excuse. I have no idea when the next part will be out. I have to go back to school soon. My first day of high school is in two days. Ahh… Oh one last thing. I have this weird fixation with having Harry limp. That's why he was hurt so badly. Sorry if you think it is unrealistic. (I know there is something else I am supposed to say here, but I can't remember.)

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters (J.K. Rowling does), I don't own the plot (Someone must have already done something like this), and anything else you can think of, I probably don't own it.

The part it dedicated to Aria* and Kelzery, who were extremely awesome, and took the time to beta-read this (If you notice there are less typo's than usual, that is why). Thanks guys.

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Keeping Harry Sane

Of Protection Rings, Missed Hogsmeade Trips, and Popping Knees.

Part Six

He challenged to me to duel.

What was a supposed to do? I tried to refuse, but he called me a coward, said I shouldn't be in Gryffindor. I wanted to scream something about my parents, yell something about spending twelve years as a rat, something to show him what cowardliness was all about. But all that came out was some sarcastic remark about him being a Gryffindor. It wasn't as satisfying as it could have been.

I weighed my chances and figured that they would probably kill me eventually, so it was dying either way. Ginny supported me, so I decided to go the way I thought she would be safest.

I dueled.

I'm not sure if it was a mistake or not. At first, it didn't seem like I had made the right choice. I didn't know what half the curses that Wormtail shot were—and I had no desire at the moment to find out what they were. My big break came when he put the Imperious curse on me. You would think he would know better, I mean it's not exactly a secret that I can shake it off. But he did just the same, so, I pretended to be controlled. If he was going to make a mistake, I would take advantage of it. 

It's like in Quidditch. If your opponent drops the quaffle, for no apparent reason, what do you want to do? Take the quaffle and score, or just watch it fall and let the other team pick it up? Not a hard choice.

When Wormtail told me to kill Ginny, I got this weird tingling feeling. It scared me. What if I could be controlled by the curse? I pushed that thought out of my head; I didn't even want to think about it.

I pretended again, but, secretly, I mouthed to Ginny to get out her wand. I hadn't wanted Ginny to get involved, but it seemed to be the only way to get Lisa back now. When I spun around and she stepped up next to me, our luck ran out, like it had to eventually. The quaffle had been intercepted. Not quite as frustrating as not picking it up, but ultimately, it had the same affect. 

There were three Death Eaters against two not-even-fully-trained wizards, it wasn't hard to guess who had the advantage. I did the only thing that I could think of. I tried to disarm a random Death Eater. It just happened to be Wormtail. His wand shot out of his silver hand and right towards me. I caught it, and Ginny took advantage of the momentary lapse of concentration, as everyone watched the wand soar towards me, and stunned the Death Eater I didn't recognize.

The 'thump' of him falling to the ground seemed to trigger something in the brains of Voldemort's remaining servants. Wormtail, who was wandless, charged me. This was one of the few things I hadn't expected, so being unprepared, all I could do was watch as Ginny sent the ImpedimentCurse at him, then set to work on some sort of spell. I could see her muttering and waving her wand in what seemed like random patterns. But then again, I didn't have the best view as I was trying to watch Wormtail struggle towards me, and keep an eye on Malfoy, who seemed to pose the greatest threat**_,_** as he still had a wand and could move at full speed.

I didn't know what to do. I was totally lost. Should I deal with Malfoy? Or Wormtail? Or should I do nothing, and wait for them to attack? I had very little knowledge of Dark spells, none of which could decapitate them or anything. I thought about stunning Malfoy, but as he had his eyes fixed on me I figured he could dodge it. Then I thought I could stun Wormtail, but it would take about two seconds for Malfoy to say 'enervate.' I finally decided to let them make the first move. With Ginny doing whatever it was that she was doing, I was pretty much alone. 

While these thoughts were running through my head, the spell on Wormtail wore off. Now I was in trouble. Wormtail started towards me again. I looked hopelessly at Ginny, almost wishing she wasn't doing whatever she was doing. I figured that it probably would be helpful once she was done, but even the most helpful charm or countercharm, or whatever it was, would do no good if we were both dead. Re-fixing my eyes on Wormtail, I tried to send the Impediment Curse, but missed.

I had so much hatred in me for this man. The man who was the reason I didn't have any parents. And yet as he was charging at me, without a wand, all I could do was side step. He went barreling by, and tripped. Seeing him, laying face down on the floor, may have been considered comical in a different situation, but at that moment, I definitely didn't find it funny. 

Malfoy, whose eyes were now staring at Ginny as he walked slowly towards her, yelled something at Wormtail about being stupid and told him to get up. Clumsily, he did manage to get to his feet, and lunged at me—or a foot to the left of me.

At first I thought he was disoriented from falling, then I realized he might just have really bad aim. But, just in time, I realized what I was holding in my left hand.

His wand.

I jerked my hand up and he ran past me. This time, however, he didn't trip. Instead, he whipped around and kicked me in the stomach. It hurt, but the worst was yet to come. 

Ginny was still standing there waving her wand around and muttering things I couldn't hear. She seemed oblivious to everything that was going on around her, including Malfoy who was now only five feet from her. Finally, she seemed to finish whatever she was doing, as she stopped muttering and pointed her wand at her chest, then pointed the wand at me.

Then she shouted something that I completely missed, because I was too busy thinking about how good she looked, even in slimy robes. Light shot out the end of her wand and when it hit me, I forgot about her looks, but only for a moment.

White light exploded around me. For a moment I couldn't see anything except blinding light. Then almost as quickly as the light came, it disappeared. Nothing felt different, and I couldn't see any differences that had come from the spell, I was afraid that whatever she had done, hadn't worked. Doubts were erased from my mind, however, when I looked at her face. She was grinning at me, and when she saw that I was looking at her, she winked. This was when thoughts about her looks popped back into my head, but once again they were cut short. I guess facing Death Eaters, in a chamber miles below the school, isn't the best place for romantic thoughts. 

I'm not sure if Malfoy realized what Ginny had done to me, but when he shot the first spell at me, he didn't seem surprised when the air around me glowed and the spell bounced off. That was how I found out what Ginny had done. She had put some sort of protection ring around me. What got me though, was the fact that she preformed it on me and not herself. 

Malfoy then threw the Cruciatus curse at me. It too bounced off. This for some reason made Malfoy smile. "Well, well, well, little lady, you seem to have done your homework. Unforgivables will shatter most protection charms. I am very surprised, but not as surprised as I could have been, considering I have seen this spell used before. Of course I know what it is, and where it was used, but does Potter?" Ginny's face paled, which made Malfoy's smile broaden. "Ah, he doesn't. Would you like me to tell him?" Ginny shook her head. "Hmm…maybe I'll just give him a hint. Evil will always triumph over love." He winked at me, then turned to face Ginny. "Won't it, Weasley? _Stupefy Betimus!_" The curse hit Ginny, square in the stomach.

Stupefy Betimus…Stupefy Betimus…I racked my brain for what that was. I had a vague memory of learning about that in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which would mean it was a dark spell. It must be some relation of the stunning charm, because of the words said to produce it. Still nothing came to mind as to what it did to its victim.

Ginny didn't fall immediately. She sort of swayed for a moment, then toppled backwards. My stomach sank. It was my fault. My fault she was down here, facing memories that she must have shut away for so long. It was my fault if she got hurt, and if I hadn't brought her into this whole spying world, she would be warm in her bed.

Of course there was no point in regretting. My life had taken a definite upswing since I talked to her about everything. I had been hesitant at first, not because I didn't trust her, but I just didn't know if she would understand. Well, she either understood, or did a damn good job of pretending to. She had basically put my life back on track. That's why even though she was under this Dark spell, I couldn't regret letting her join. Most people just don't understand how selfish I am. I see her in pain, and yet I can't regret it. It's enough to make a person go crazy all over again.

Now, she screamed in pain as she hit the ground. I ran to her, not really knowing what to do (except maybe rip Malfoy into a trillion pieces). She was lying spread eagle where she had fallen. Once again the thought of how cute she looked struck me, but I pushed it aside. As I dropped to my knees and placed her head in my lap, her eyes fluttered open and focused on me. How could she not be unconscious? Stunning charms usually work instantly. But then, I realized, she had screamed when she fell.

That's when I remembered. Stupefy Betimus, was the Dark Art's version of the stunning charm. The victim doesn't lose consciousness instantly, but very slowly (and painfully) goes out. If I remembered right, it depends on the individual how seriously the victim is injured. She could die, or nothing at all could happen. There is no way to wake a person under this spell, the victim wakes at a random time. This newly remembered information was not comforting.

"Oh God…Gin…" What was I supposed to say? 'Oh hello, Ginny. How are you? Aside from the fact that you are under a very bad spell, and it's all my fault. Don't worry though. It will be ok.' That definitely wouldn't do. I settled for a nice 'thank you', and 'I'm sorry'.

Her eyes widened and she gave a small cough. "You can do it, Harry. Go and show them…" And she lost consciousness.

If Ginny said I could do it, then I could, or I would die trying. From where I stood, next to Ginny's unmoving body, I assessed my situation. My stomach still stung from where Wormtail had kicked me, but I'd survive. (Ginny was another matter, but I tried not to think about that). I still had Wormtail's wand, but that didn't really matter, because of Ginny's spell. I still wasn't sure about this spell. Exactly how powerful was it? Could it repel the killing curse? Could they enter the ring around me? Or was I untouchable? If they could touch me I was in trouble. I knew nothing about hand-to-hand combat. I supposed that I wouldn't find out if they could hurt me, until they tried. 

Speaking of 'them', they were standing a ways away. Wormtail was still panting slightly, and Malfoy was standing there, obviously having enjoyed watching Ginny fall into unconsciousness. 

Then he smiled. This seemed to be some kind of cue, for Wormtail rushed forward. I quickly pocketed my own wand, and tossed Wormtail's aside. Later it occurred to me that this might not have been the best idea. _Avada Kedavra_ was still a possibility. I wasn't sure if this spell deflected it, as _Avada Kedavra _was supposed to be unblockable, but then again, I had survived it once. Anyway, I tossed aside his wand, and raised my fists in, what I hoped, was an intimidating position; the kind that kids do when being attacked by bullies. 

As soon as he got close enough, yet before he could do anything, I threw a feeble punch at Wormtail's head. More out of surprise than defense, he jerked his head away, causing me to only graze his head. This threw me off balance; I was expecting to connect with something. He took advantage and whipped his leg around, hitting me in the back of the knees. I toppled. Two thoughts ran through my head as I fell: _I guess I can be touched_, and, w_here did Wormtail learn hand-to-hand fighting?_

As I fell, I landed hard on my left leg, and was rewarded with a sickening crunch, followed by a burst of pain. Wormtail must have noticed too, for he jumped on it.

God, it hurt.

I heard a few crunches and tears came to my eyes. Wormtail walked away, picked up his wand, and stood back to admire his handiwork. 

"Get up, Potter, we are not done." 

I didn't move. 

"Come on, face me like a man." 

__

Like a man… I wasn't a man, I was a teenager. Last time I checked, teenagers weren't supposed to fight evil wizards and face them like 'men' (or women), and yet, that is exactly what Ginny and I were doing. What happened to the all night parties and hangovers? I still didn't move. 

"Oh, does it hurt _bad,_ Potter? Would you like me to jump on it again?" Of course I didn't want him to jump on it again, but I wasn't about to say that. "Maybe you're wondering how I learned to street fight?" 

__

He's a mind reader… 

"Well, I'll tell you," he continued giving me an evil smirk. "Two words. James and Lily." He paused for effect, obviously not having realized this was three words. I wasn't about to point it out though, as this statement made it feel as though he had punched me again. "Yes, they were excellent at it. But it didn't really help them, did it? No, it didn't matter in the end. I was nowhere near as good as them, and yet, _I _am still alive. They could whip my butt, but I just whipped yours. I suppose that you might have been good if they had been here to teach you." 

This hurt even more than my leg. Whoever said 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but word will never hurt me,' lied. 

Out of rage, I managed to pull myself up to a standing position. The words 'he insulted my parents' kept running threw my head. Boy, this guy had nerve. 

"Well," I said, trying, but not really succeeding, to sound cool. "We all know why that is." Wormtail looked puzzled. "_You_, it's because of _you. _Because of you, two of your friends are dead, one is an outlaw, and the other went twelve years friendless. Do you not feel guilt? I am curious, how did you manage to live all these years without killing yourself?"

He turned his head away, and began talking in a slow, even voice. "They weren't my friends. They were my protectors. The reason I made it through Hogwarts. They didn't help me because I was their friend. They only did it because they considered themselves 'good'. How little they knew about good and evil. You see, I was never in their league. When I was younger, I fooled myself into thinking that they really cared for me. But as I grew up I could see the disgust in their eyes when they looked at me. I could hear the annoyance in their voices when they answered a question of mine. So, in my seventh year I had to do something. I had to go over. I had to kill them. They had hurt me more than any enemy ever could or would. And the worst part was, they didn't know it. I hated them, and still do. Do you see? I could say I had no choice, but that would be a lie." He looked up, and met my eyes. "I had a choice, but I don't regret it. I'm still alive, your parents aren't. I have power, Sirius and Remus don't. You see? It was the obvious choice, to kill them, actually Sirius would have died too if my master hadn't lost his power. And now, I would have killed you, Harry Potter, but my master wants to do that." He began to walk towards me. "He will show that he is more powerful." Without batting an eye, he kicked out his leg and hit my stomach, and as he returned it to the ground, he took a small detour, by kicking my left kneecap. He was obviously living the motto 'find your opponents weakness and use it.'

The pain became almost unbearable. I was now just standing on my right leg. My left was sort of hanging there useless. I wasn't going to yell out. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction on seeing that I was hurting. But, I couldn't help leaning over to catch my breath. As I was bent over, Malfoy did a very un-sportsmanlike thing.

He knocked me out. 

There I was trying to catch my breath, and he comes over. I look up to see what he wants (I had almost forgotten he was there, with Wormtail pouring his heart out to me), but all I see are knuckles coming at my face. Then I blacked out.

When I came too, the only thing that indicated the passage of time was that I was hurting in a few new places. They had beaten me while I was unconscious. I had thought that even Death Eaters wouldn't sink that low. 

Actually, I just wanted to lay there on the cold stone floor forever. I was hurting, and didn't want to fight anymore. But, I knew that I couldn't do that. It would just be another selfish thing to add to my list of selfish things. If I couldn't get up for myself, I had to do it for Ginny.

I stuck my good leg under my butt, and pushed my upper body up with my arms, trying to ignore the crunching in my chest. I could see Malfoy and Wormtail standing about ten feet away, deep in conversation; they hadn't noticed me yet.

Using my arms, and good leg, I managed to slowly work my way up into a squatting position, and then into a standing one. This was when they noticed me, the pain made it difficult not to make noise.

I engaged Malfoy in a kind of staring contest, while listening to my raged breathing echoing around the chamber. Then, suddenly, as if by magic (actually it _was_ magic) a blue ribbon of light shot between us, and just as suddenly it exploded into a wall.

I almost cautiously looked to my right. Afraid that it wasn't who I thought it was. Afraid the person was here to hurt, rather than help me. But he wasn't here to hurt me.

It was Dumbledore.

Harry looked up at Dumbledore. "And you know what happened from there." 

He had just finished telling Dumbledore his story. Of course, he had left out certain parts, especially his thoughts on Ginny.

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "That is a very interesting story. What I am really curious to know about though, is what spell it was that Ginny cast."

"I don't know what it was. But it saved my life," he said glancing at the thin curtains that separated him from Ginny. "You have no idea when she will be okay?"

"No, she will wake when she's ready." Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "And when she does, there is no telling what the complications will be."

"Dammit!" Harry yelled angrily, and slammed his fist into the bedside table. Dumbledore looked alarmed. Harry buried his face in his hands. "It's all my fault," he sobbed, all the anger gone from his voice. "My fault…"

Dumbledore placed a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. "You mustn't blame yourself. Maybe she was already set on helping against Voldemort. Maybe she would have come to me anyway."

Harry shook his head. "No, I brought her into this." 

"Harry Potter, it was her choice to join, not yours, it is no one except Voldemort's fault. Because of him so many people have died, and some many lives have been ruined. Always remember, it is Voldemort's fault, Harry, not yours." Dumbledore stood up, and moved as if to leave, but stopped. "I'll send in Mr. Weasley." And then he left.

Ron was pacing back and forth outside all three rooms. He wanted to see Harry, and yet he didn't. What could he say? The last things that had been spoken between them were angry words, but Ron didn't feel the least bit angry. The thing was, he didn't know if Harry was. He felt ashamed. Ashamed of what he had said to Hermione. He wasn't sure if he believed that, or if he was just trying to convince himself that Harry was doing sneaky things, for the sole reason of showing that Harry Potter wasn't perfect, that he wasn't even nice. 

At long last, or maybe too soon, Dumbledore came out and said he could go in and see Harry. Ron sort of shuffled around the curtains into the area with Harry. Harry was sitting up on his bed, fiddling with his fingers. Apparently, Madame Pomfrey hadn't treated him, as under the blanket that covered him, Ron could see his leg sticking out in a funny position. 

Ron stuck both his hands into his pockets, as a way to avoid his first instinct: to run. He moved closer to the bed, and Harry looked up. Ron had no idea what to say. What could you say to a friend that had just been injured so badly, and had so many things broken, that he could have died? Neither said anything for a while; Harry stared at Ron's face, and Ron did anything he could to avoid Harry's eyes. 

"Look Harry," he finally said after the long silence. "Dumbledore is being really secretive about everything, and, well, so, I don't really have any idea what happened to you, or Ginny. And while I feel like it might be wrong to probe into your private life, I mean, I'd just really like to know…." He paused and ran his fingers through his hair. "You're my best friend, and she's my sister…"

Harry looked at him for a while. Finally he said, "We were attacked by Death Eaters. Ginny is under _Stupefy Betimus_, you can look it up. I'd tell you more if I could, but I can't. It's nothing personal, but I just can't."

Ron raised his eyebrows, and although he believed Harry about not being able to say more, he wanted to know. "I see," he said, after pausing a moment. He looked around the room, trying to come up with some interesting topic of conversation. Finally he decided on the story about asking Hermione to Hogsmeade. "We were going to go to Hogsmeade today, you know?" he said, taking a seat in the chair next to Harry's bed. "Me, you, and Hermione." Ron watched, amused, as Harry's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, actually what happened was I asked Hermione to go with me, but she wouldn't go without you."

Harry's eyebrows raised even more. "You asked her on a date?"

"I guess you could call it a date."

"So, you asked her out, and she said no?" Harry had begun to snicker.

Ron nodded sadly. "In a theoretical sense, yes." Harry started to laugh harder, but it soon turned into a hacking cough. He put his hand to his chest, wincing. The smile disappeared from Ron's face. "You okay, Harry? Should I get Madame Pomfrey?"

Harry held up his hand to indicate 'no, he shouldn't' and when he stopped coughing said, "No, that's okay. Speaking of Hermione, where is she?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade?"

"It's a very long story."

Harry pretended to look at his watch. "Well, considering that my best bet of leaving this hospital wing is about next year, I guess we don't have much time. You better not tell it." He kept his face straight as he said this, and Ron wondered for a moment if he was serious.

After deciding that he wasn't serious, Ron launched into the story. "You see I got here about 4:30 in the morning," he tried to ignore Harry's amazed expression. "Hermione arrived an hour later, right in the middle of an argument I was having with Madame Pomfrey, about when I could see you and Ginny. She sort of heard the last part, and anyway, burst into tears right away. She seemed to think our friendship was in ruins. And after that for the next, oh I don't know, three to four hours, she didn't stop crying. So, then, at around nine, Seamus and Pavarti dropped by to ask if we were going to Hogsmeade. This set Hermione off again. Something like 'how could you expect us to leave.' And anyway, that was enough for me. I made her go with them."

"What did you have to do to her?"

Ron grinned. "Threaten to curse her."

Madame Pomfrey was once again riffling through papers on her desk, and Dumbledore was once again waiting patiently. 

Finally, when Madame Pomfrey seemed to have found her misplaced papers, she said, "Now, we need to discuss what to do about Harry. The ribs and skull we can take care of, but it's his leg." She gave Dumbledore a pained look. "It must have been terribly painful. There are two fractures down near the ankle. Then one ankle bone is totally crushed." She pressed her hands together to illustrate this. "It must have been jumped on, or something, because that can't happen with most falls. The kneecap, it's slightly dislocated. Above the knee are two breaks."

"And yet he wanted to walk up here," Dumbledore muttered.   
  
"Pardon?"

"Oh, never mind. Continue please."

"Right," said Madame Pomfrey, a bit annoyed that she had been interrupted. "I'm afraid to use a spell to repair his ankle. When it is crumbled, there are so many things that can go wrong. If just one piece goes to the wrong spot, the result can be disastrous."

"So what do you propose?" Dumbledore's hands were pressed together, with his chit resting on his fingertips. A slight smile on his face. If someone walked in they wouldn't thing that the Headmaster and school nurse were discussing treatment. They looked like they were planning some kind of murder.

"A potion. This potion is much more accurate than the spell, and it also serves as a painkiller. I don't normally use it because it takes several weeks to be effective. Almost as long as the muggle method. Harry is lucky he isn't a muggle, his ankle may never be fixed. Muggles just aren't very good when it comes to crushed bones. He will have to keep his leg straight for a few weeks. I figure I'll just fix the rest of leg with this potion, as it is more accurate. The only thing now is his knee cap."

"What are you doing about that?"

Madame Pomfrey smiled, as if she was looking forward to dealing with this. "Ah, well, there is nothing magical I can do about that, except painkiller. I'll just have to pop it back in."

Dumbledore flinched, then nodded. "That sounds fine to me. You might just want to run it by Harry, so he knows what's going on. Although, I'm not sure he will be so fond of hobbling around for a few weeks. He'll probably want to start moving around as soon as he leaves the hospital wing."

Something was stinging her eyes. She tried to lift her hands to rub them, but she discovered they had turned to lead. She tried to open her eyes, but they were stuck, she tried to scream, but her mouth was sewn closed. Something was soft beneath her, but she couldn't quiet reach it. Above her she could hear noise, although, she couldn't tell what it was. The noise was getting farther and farther away. It was almost as though she was trapped between worlds. 

****

%%%

So, next we find out what happened to Ginny, and a little more about the spell she used. I decided to save the 'maybe kiss' until next time. Anyway, I know I said I'd do a thank you section, but I'm too lazy, and I didn't get that many reviews, and I think I have already taken long enough to get this part out. Adios. So long till next time. Muah!


	7. Awakenings

Hello to all who remember me. I know it has been forever, and I could make up an excuse like I was busy, or had writers block, but that would be lying. I have no excuse. *sigh* Oh well. Hope you like this chapter. I hope to get the next out within the next six months. I would like to thank AriaStar for beta-reading, and Gred Weasley who inspired me to send this to AriaStar.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one. It all belongs to J.K Rowling.

****

Keeping Harry Sane

Awakenings (hehe, I got creative)

****

Part Seven

Something was stinging her eyes. She tried to lift her hands to rub them, but she discovered they were too heavy. She tried to open her eyes, but they were stuck. She tried to scream, but her mouth was sewn closed. Something was soft beneath her, but she couldn't quiet reach it. Above her she could hear noise, although she couldn't tell what it was. The noise was getting farther and farther away. It was almost as though she was trapped between worlds.

Sunday, November 1, 1998 

Dear Diary,

Draco brought me flowers today. I haven't told anyone (other than you). Not even Tracy. I'm not sure what he is playing at. Is he trying to make a fool of me, or is he being nice? I suppose it was a nice gesture, seeing as he is one of the only people who know what really happened. Although I would like to be friends, I don't know if I would want to be anything more, so I hope it doesn't come to that. (He did sign his card "Love, Draco" but that is how I sign everything.)

On a different note, Ginny still hasn't woken up. Harry hasn't left her bedside since he was allowed out of bed (and even before that—Madame Pomfrey can't watch him forever). It's kind of weird, because everyone always said that he liked Hermione. Right now, though, I would bet my life that he likes Ginny. It would be so perfect if he did, because everyone knows how she feels about him. 

I feel so guilty about what happened that night. If only I had had been awake… If only I hadn't been caught… It was so full of 'if only's. The biggest was probably 'if only I hadn't sneezed.' Can you believe it, Diary? There I am, crouched behind a statue, watching Goyle give Crabbe a piece of paper, and I sneeze. What sort of idiot am I? Of course they would find me. Geez, Harry and Ginny could have died (Ginny still could, I suppose) all because I sneezed. You know what I don't get though? Why didn't Dumbledore send some sort of Law enforcement people down, instead of two students? Well, I guess Harry because he could speak Parseltounge, but Ginny? I would think he would be as careful as possible. Oh well.

Shoot. 

Draco's back. He's trying to get in (Madame Pomfrey won't let him. Go Madame Pomfrey!) (Not that I don't want him here.) (Well, maybe I don't) (Why am I having conversations with myself inside parenthesis?) (No idea) He seems to have won the fight with Madame Pomfrey, so I better go. I'll write more later. ~Lisa

Monday, November 2, 1998

Dear Diary,

More flowers today.

I wasn't sure what to do. I mean, once can be considered a get well soon thing, but twice? I smiled and thanked him, hoping beyond hope that he was just being friendly. Sometimes I find it funny. I never thought of Draco Malfoy as a flower bringing kind of person. Harry found it incredibly funny. He laughed for at least ten minutes after Draco left. (I don't think he dared to it while Draco was here.) I didn't exactly tell Harry, but he is in the hospital wing, and he does have eyes, so he can see Draco enter with flowers. I guess the laughing must have been contagious, because I couldn't stop laughing either. I felt kind of bad.

Big News!! I leave tonight! Thank God, this place is so boring. There are only so many times you can count the blue checkers on the curtains around our beds. (5,025, by the way.) I am so glad that Harry has been here. Although he can't move around without crutches (Muggle things to help you walk), he's someone to talk to. We have spent hours upon hours sitting on his bed playing all these great Muggle card games he taught me. And when we felt as though another game of Go Fish would kill us, I taught him all those hand games that girls are obsessed with at about age nine. He isn't very good at those yet.

Last night we had a SID meeting (held in the hospital wing for mine and Harry's, but mostly Harry's convenience). We discussed what happened in the Chamber of the Secrets, and I told the story about my unfortunate sneeze. Then, they brought the topic around to what could have been done to prevent it.

"Well, that's a no-brainer," Draco had drawled. "Tell Turpin to carry a nose plug." 

Others had more constructive advice, although I did agree with Draco.

When Draco and Kevin were getting ready to go back to their dorms, and conversation had turned to Quidditch tryouts, Dumbledore showed up. He told us he was canceling classes on Wednesday, in order to seal the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and to add some additional security to the castle. When Death Eaters can hold you captive in your own school, something is very wrong. He would need all the teachers and our help for this. (I'm not sure why he needs our help, but whatever.)

He also mentioned a full ADM (anti-Dark Magic) meeting. (That includes all volunteer anti-Voldemort workers, not just SID's.) It was going to be a week from Wednesday. We were going to have to fill in all the adults about what happened in the Chamber of Secrets, and Dumbledore will give out new assignments. (Why do I have a funny feeling I'll be in watch duty for a while?) (Right now that little annoying voice in my head is screaming 'because you sneezed!')

I have to go write a letter to my mom. I got one from her yesterday that had tear splotches all over it. ~Lisa 

A field of green spread out in front of Ginny, as far as she could see. It didn't look like anything see had ever seen before, and it gave her an eerie feeling. Still, she supposed it was better than that strange trapped feeling from before. She had no idea how she had gotten here. 

"Hello, Virginia."

Ginny jumped and instinctively reached for her wand. This was unnecessary, because she recognized the voice, and there was only one person who called her Virginia. Her Grandpa. The only problem was, he had been dead since she was nine. 

This was someone's idea of a funny joke. She had been very attached to her grandfather. He had always treated her like an individual, not 'the only girl in the Weasley Clan'. Ginny spun around, but no one was there. She blinked several times, and turned in several circles. 

"What are you doing?"

Ginny jumped again, but didn't stop turning around. 

"Honey?"

"Who's there?" Ginny said slightly shakily.

"You don't remember me?"

"No, I know who you are, or at least who you are supposed to be. But I don't find it funny, whoever you really are."

The voice answered back sounded puzzled. "Whoever I am? I thought you said you knew who I was."

Ginny crossed her arms and glared at the spot she thought the voice was coming from. "I know who you are _trying_ to be. Not who you really are. You are pretending to be my grandfather, and, frankly, I am not going to fall for it."

"But, Virginia, honey, I am your grandfather."

"One small problem. He's dead."

"That isn't as much of a problem as you may think. People who are dead don't ever leave us. And yes, I am dead, but I am standing here talking to you."

Ginny tapped her foot impatiently. She was not going to fall for this. "Standing where exactly?"

"Right here."

"No offense or anything, but I don't see anyone."

"What!?" She could hear mad muttering. He seemed to be holding a conversation with someone else. Then he said to Ginny, "Virginia, you just have to believe that it is me. You can't see me because you aren't dead."

"Well, of course I'm not. Did you think I was?"

"Well…yes, but that doesn't matter."

"It might. But first, where am I, and who are you?"

The voice sighed impatiently. "I already told you. Joshua Franklin Weasley."

"Prove it." This whole thing wouldn't have bothered Ginny so much if it had been anyone else they had picked to impersonate. But the death of her grandpa had always been a very touchy subject for her. It was, in a way, her first wake up call to what the world was really like out there. 

'Hummmm…ok. Your father has a telephone. The number is 245-436-7755."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. No one was supposed to know they had a phone. And anyway, that wasn't their number. It had changed six years ago. "Okay, whatever you are playing at, it isn't funny."

"Remember your ninth birthday, and what I told you?"

Ginny's mouth opened into a small O. She nodded slowly.

" 'What is right isn't always convenient'. Was that it?"

Ginny nodded again. 

"Do you remember why I said that?"

Another nod. "Voldemort."

"And Harry."

"I never forgot," she breathed. "You died two days later."

She could hear a low chuckle. "Yes, I did. Now that we have established that I am indeed your grandfather, I am sure you are curious as to why you are here."

"And exactly _where_ here is."

"Yes that too. Now, I was lead to believe that you were dead. Otherwise I would have never agreed to meet with you. But, anyway, that doesn't matter. You are in heaven."

Ginny's jaw fell. 

"Well, not exactly _in _heaven, you have to be dead for that, but almost there. To tell you the truth, I have no idea why you are here. I have never, in my seven years in heaven, or 62 on earth, heard of dead people talking to live people. I never knew anything to be so important."

"Wait, so if you don't know why I am here, or talking to you, then how did I get here?"

"You will need to talk to the Almighty about that."

"Do I get to meet him?" Ginny was starting to feel foolish talking to nothing. 

"No, no one does. I never even have. But you do get a note from him." A piece of parchment appeared in the air in front of Ginny. "Now I have to go. I'll see you again, Virginia, but let's hope not too soon. Goodbye." She heard a wind rushing kind of noise, and figured he was gone.

Reaching out a shaky hand she grabbed the paper.

__

Think about what you would miss most if you never went back.

Okay, she thought sarcastically. That makes perfect since. As if looking for more explanation, she flipped it over.

__

I take care of my people:

Sic Semper Tyrannis Noniam

"Great," she said out loud to herself. "I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere, literally, with a piece of paper with some kind of riddle." She stamped her foot in frustration. "There is no place like home, there's no place like home." Just for fun, she closed her eyes and clicked her heels. It didn't help.

"Okay, so, what do I miss most? No idea." She glared at the paper. "Okay, I'll try harder. I'd miss Harry, and Hermione, and Ron, and Lisa, and Watch Duty, and Hogwarts, and my family." She paused for a moment. "So this doesn't seem to be helping." 

Ginny screwed up her mouth and really thought. _What _would_ she miss most? _As easy as the question seemed, she couldn't think of answer. Well, definitely Harry, but not Harry, himself. It would be more the idea of Harry. Not being able to think about him. 

Then, of course there was her family. As much as she loved them, and would miss them, she wasn't sure if that was what she would miss most.

"Think, Ginny, think," she told herself. "This is going to drive me crazy…." Her head snapped up. "Crazy…," she muttered, "hmm… 'only when I'm with you.'" She grinned. "That is _so_ it." 

She knew what she would miss. There really weren't any words to describe it. It was a feeling. That sort of adrenaline rush you get Christmas Eve, right before you go to sleep, or before a big quidditch game. Although those weren't the times she would miss it. It was the times around Harry. 

"Okay."

She was beginning to wonder if talking to yourself is unhealthy. 

"Now what do I do?" She looked back down at the paper. "I have to think about it. How is this going to help me? I don't know."

Now she was answering her own questions.

Squeezing her eyes closed, she drew the feeling back. She could almost see Harry moving his lips toward hers. She could see him laughing, and kissing her cheek. She could see the way he brushed his hair from his eyes, and how he pushed his glasses up his nose.

It was almost immediate. The closest thing she could describe it as was the feeling you get traveling by portkey.

The sensation didn't last for long though. It was replaced by the searing pain in her eyes she had experienced before. She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to block it out. It just kept getting worse and worse. 

And then it stopped, just as quickly as suddenly as it had started. She wondered what had happened.

To tell the truth, she hadn't thought that thinking about what she would miss most would do anything, so she was very surprised. She seemed to be horizontal, and judging by the softness, on a bed. Very cautiously, she unclenched one eye.

She could have cried. It was the hospital wing. It was only a dream. She didn't really talk to her grandfather, or get that weird note. Everything that had happened came rushing back. She gave a loud sigh and opened the other eye. A rustle of noise came from the side of her bed. She heard a loud gasp, and then…

"GINNY!" 

…and she couldn't breath. There was something heavy on top of her. All she could make out was a fuzzy black spot a few inches from her face. The heavy something removed itself from her chest, and if she squinted up her eyes a bit, it looked like Harry.

"Harry?" _Why does everything look so blurry? _She wondered.

"Shhh…." He put his finger on her lips and leaned forward. Ginny didn't need to be told what he was going to do. But, like the time before, moments before she would have experienced the thrill of her life, they were interrupted.

"Oh my god! Ginny!" It was her mum, closely followed by Mr. Weasley and Madame Pomfrey. Her breathing was once again cut off, as Mrs. Weasley threw herself on top of Ginny, sobbing. "Ginny…oh…Ginny…. We were so worried…."

She pulled back and stared at Ginny, whipping tears as the flowed freely from her eyes. Ginny tried to struggle into a sitting position, but was pushed back down by Madame Pomfrey.

"Stay down, dear. I will need to ask you all to leave, so I can perform some tests on Miss Weasley. Mr. Potter, if you would be so kind as to go and get the Headmaster. Ask him to come by in about thirty minutes. I should be done by then."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left, Mrs. Weasley still crying, and Mr. Weasley trying to comfort her, but looking on the verge of tears himself. 

"Bye, Gin." Harry leaned down to kiss her cheek, and whispered so Madame Pomfrey couldn't hear, "I think fate is trying to tell me something."

Ginny grinned, and Harry hobbled out on wooden things she had never seen before. Afterwards she realized that she had forgotten to ask about them.

Harry moved slowly towards the gargoyle leading to Dumbledore's office. This was a perfect opportunity to talk to Dumbledore by himself. Harry hadn't had a moment with Dumbledore since he had explained what had happened, nearly four days ago. This may have been due to the fact that he still wasn't technically supposed to be out of the hospital wing. And he had something _very_ important to discuss. 

By now he was standing in front of the gargoyle. "Turtle Taffy."

"To you too," grunted the gargoyle. Harry gave it a funny look as he entered the moving staircase. He was still gazing uncertainly at the entrance, when he banged into something very hard.

"Headmaster?"

It certainly looked like Dumbledore. The only thing was he was wearing bright pink cotton pajamas with broomsticks flying around, and little snitches waving their wings. 

"Mr. Potter, what a surprise."

"Sorry to disturb you so late but…" He couldn't hold it in any longer. He gave a small laugh and attempted to go on. "Madame Pink, no I mean, Madbroom Pomfrey, no…"

Dumbledore followed his gaze down to his pajamas and smiled. "I know they are pink, but the PPGL, _Perfect Pj's for Quidditch Lovers, _was all sold out of purple."

"Really? I had no idea there was such a store."

Dumbledore nodded. "My favorite, but back to why you are coming up to my office at," he took a moment to consult his watch. "11:45."

"Oh, right. Madame Pomfrey sent me. Ginny woke up."

Dumbledore smiled. "Wonderful."

Harry went on. "And I need to talk to you about—."

"Can we walk and talk? I was on my way to the kitchens for a midnight snack." He started to continue down from his office.

"Right, anyway, as I was saying—."

"Harry did you happen to hear about the Cannons last game?" Dumbledore asked. "I heard it was a real nail-bitter."

"That's nice, Professor, but I really wanted to ask you what is going to happen to Sir—"

Dumbledore stopped walking and turned to look seriously at Harry. He placed both his hands on Harry's shoulders.

"Look, Harry, I think I may know what you are going to ask. I have been waiting for you to come to me. I want to clear Sirius just as much as you do. Trust me, but as of now we don't have enough evidence. We could clear him of Pettigrew's murder, but Pettigrew could plead that he transformed out of self-defense. The only way may be if Pettigrew pleads. This will depend on his loyalties, and if he sees an advantage for himself."

Harry thought for a moment. "Can't we create an advantage?"

Dumbledore smiled. "We very well might be able to."

Harry and Dumbledore arrived the hospital wing exactly a half hour later (after a brief stop so Dumbledore could change into robes), laden down with sweets from the house elves. When they heard Miss Weasley had woken they insisted on sending enough pie and cakes to feed all of Gryffindor house for several weeks. Ginny found this very cute, and went on for a while about having to go down and thank them.

Ginny then insisted that everybody leave so she could talk to Harry alone. Madame Pomfrey put up a small fight, but then gave in.

"Close your eyes and sit," Ginny instructed, pointing to the seat next to her, as soon as everyone had left.

Harry raised a questioning eyebrow, but nevertheless, he placed his crutches against the bedside table, sat down, and closed his eyes.

Several seconds later, "Okay…open."

Harry opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize what it was he was supposed to notice. 

"Glasses? When did you get glasses?"

"Like ten minutes ago. Madame Pomfrey ran about a thousand tests and this was the only thing she found wrong. But what I really wanted to ask you was, do you think these are too thick? Do you think I should go for these?" She pulled off the pair she was wearing and put a different pair on that had been next to her.

Harry looked at her for a moment. "No idea. I don't think I'm the right person to ask. Otherwise you might end up with thick round circles for glasses."

She put the first pair back on. "I like these better. They make me look smart."

"I think so too," Harry agreed. 

Ginny readjusted the pillow that was propped up behind her. "Do my parents know?" She said, her expression immediately changing.

"What? About the glasses?"

"No, stupid, about SID and everything."

"Well, not _everything_. But they do know about SID. Dumbledore owled them as soon as you joined."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I would have expected several howlers. They always are so over protective."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe they deserve more credit than you give them."

Ginny shrugged too. "Oh well. There are more important things. Tell me everything. What happened after I, uh… left? What happened to you?"

He shrugged. "Nothing big. Just have to use those for a while." He gestured at the wooden things leaned against the table. "Lisa's fine. Dumbledore came just in time."

Ginny did not look satisfied. "No. Details. I want details."

Harry sighed, resigned to tell the whole story. "Just tell me one thing first."

"Anything."

"Where did you learn that spell? It saved my life."

Ginny grinned. "I'm glad to have been of service. I read it in a book."

Harry laughed. "You have to tell me what books you are reading. I have never seen anything so useful in my life. Did you know it block unforgivables? That was amazing." He was smiling so genuinely, it hurt Ginny's heart. If only he knew…. 

"So what was it?"

Darn. Even though Ginny knew if was coming, she wished it hadn't.

She adverted her eyes. "I really can't tell you."

Harry looked confused for a moment. The smile disappeared. "I won't tell anyone."

Ginny wanted to point out that she did not care if everyone else in the world knew what spell it was. She just couldn't tell Harry. "I know," she whispered.

"I don't understand why you can't trust me."

"It's not that I don't trust you, its that I can't tell you. Not yet at least. Maybe someday."

Harry snorted. "What am I not mature enough yet? I can't handle the truth?"

"No. Look, okay, if I tell you it might influence your thinking. There are some things you have to realize on your own."

"What did Lucius mean when he said 'evil will triumph over love?'"

"Harry, please…" she buried her face in her hands. This was so difficult, why couldn't he just accept it?

"Where had Lucius seen it before?"

She uncovered her face. "I will not tell you. So stop asking."

Harry finally backed down. "Okay, lets change the subject. I don't want to fight. Let me tell you what happened…"

Ron was in bed, asleep, like any normal human being, when Harry arrived. Harry limped over and whacked him with a crutch. 

"Oww…." Ron sat up rubbing his head. "Harry what are you doing here? I thought you weren't allowed out of the hospital wing." It was then that Ron caught sight of the clock on his table. "_Harry_, it's two in the morning, what could be so important?"

"Well, I guess it can wait." Harry turned and started to leave.

"Good." Ron lay down again. "Hey, wait! Where are you going?"

Harry grinned from the doorway. "To go talk to Ginny."


End file.
